Strangle To Death, Anaconda!
by Cyan Sung-Sun
Summary: When a Blaise Welshman finds himself in a Hollows body he will do all he can to survive, blissfully unaware of just who he's taken over. Can a side character muster enough strength to oppose Aizen in time? Will they even live to see it? Or are they going to die rotting to death inside his own body? Semi Self-Insert.
1. Blue Beginnings

_"The hole in a Hollows chest shows that the heart has been lost,_ _leaving nothing but raw instinct._ _The white skull shaped mask_ _is all that sheilds those_ _bared instincts from the outside world._ _Neither is necessary when the heart is still intact._ "

Words that intrigued me as I watched an anime, transfixed by its premise, words that pulled me in deeper into its lore as I watched. Bleach was a pretty damn good anime and I had only got around to the Fake Karuka arc. Those were some pretty good fights for supposed side characters, but I gotta say, Ayon confused the Hueco Mundo outta me. What happened when he died? He wasn't purified I know that much. But what would happen if a Quincy killed him or something? Did Yamamoto even kill him with his Zanpakuto? Was there any way to permanently kill Ayon? I can't remember how Yamamoto even killed him, and I never even got to the Sternritter arc. So I had no answer to my questions. I mean...he showed up there, I just have no idea how.

I was just slightly pissy the head captain came around and punched his lights out though. Why didn't someone else come around? Now how was I supposed to get a gauge for how powerful Ayon was? He absolutely trashed and walked all over all the the vice-captains. So what's the deal? How am I supposed to compare Ayon to Komomura now? That sort of thing was important to me.

I mean I knew Tier Halibel or Tia Harribel could kick Nel's ass with no problems. What's that Nel? Your Resurrección can't break Las Noches? Then you're not my Espada.

Who the hell even liked Nel? She sucked ass in the dub. But perhaps I should have been a bit more polite to that has-been and her dreadful English VA. I was more than rational to realise that wasn't why I ended up dead, but I felt I had to get my humour out of this. The last bit of cheek aimed at her put a bit of a sheepish smile on my face.

Up until my face barely moved. The smile being stopped by my rigid mask.

I was a killing machine powered by raw instinct and a brain. I was a Hollow.

And damn did I feel good! I don't even remember how I died and I got a brand new body that _didn't_ suck ass. No sickness or limitations to deal with. Instead I got a body that defied physics and could get even _more_ power. And the process was so unbelievably simply that a baby could do it. The best part might be the fact I didn't remember how I died. If I did I'd probably be mopey for about a month before finally getting on with obtaining more power. How a hollow could become more powerful was simple.

Feast upon the souls of humans. And I had no moral quibbles about it, I was a misanthropist and a hypocrite at heart. I could ignore the judgements of others and change my own logic and justifications when I had to in order to get my end goal. I could just pull an excuse outta my ass, the moral quibbles that others concerned themselves with was beneath me. And disregarding my own opinions was simple, simple because I had no pride. I had contributed _nothing_ to this world! Or any world!

And a person that gave nothing to the world did not deserve a voice! They did not deserve even an opinion! An artist that made only one good quality piece was greater than a million philosophers. Those who sat and contemplated the world from a lonely household contributed nothing to the world or society. Why would I be shackled by a man who gave nothing to the world? Why would I respect him?!

And why would I respect myself? After all...there was no one I hated more than myself. A dumb child that failed in everything...despite being given everything on a silver platter.

So, getting started on the path to evolution, to finally realizing my existence was as simple as picking a location and pulling out some weak and flimsy excuse. Killing a few thousand to defend myself against Aizen was a worthy cause wasn't it? I didn't harbour any misconceptions about my situation. I was operating on scattered and fragmented knowledge. I knew what his Zanpakuto could do, but I only vaguely remembered its weaknesses. Beating him was impossible. So I did something I had taken a firm stance on in life, when I was alive.

I put my destiny and life in the palms of fate. This time I was in a position where that might actually mean something. Where my death might mean someone's evolution, where my words might bring about change. All I could do was follow my incredible instincts. Combined with my brilliant luck and instinct it seemed like fate did guide me. So even if all my reasoning was destroyed, as long as I was guided, I would continue. In a world like this morals had no place and I had no right to make decisions that shook this earth when I could bring no meaning to my own.

So I picked the best location. A location that would fulfill my gut-based instinct to evolve. A place filled with those who could not help themselves, the easiest prey imaginable. And I remembered full well where these feasting grounds resided. This would hasten my evolution, spectacularly so. So I descended with all the speed and haste that this gigantic serpentine body of mine could muster and feasted upon the souls of the damned.

I crashed into the wall of the prison, my very entrance already killing people and bringing out their souls.

All of the prisons in this world and all of the asylums. I devoured all who resided within. Guilty or innocent I rendered them into a thick paste of blood and bones with my body. It was a disturbingly simple body for me, void of any limbs other than a spine and I suppose my Hollow mask. The mask was limited in movement. Most Hollow's could climb and scale walls and manipulate their own masks to a greater degree than I could. I was landlocked and could literally kill people in only two ways; crushing and biting.

I seemed to have landed in the cafeteria. I brought in more of more body and prepared to use Rapid Spin. Which would kill or cripple everyone it hit and let me eat the souls. The only part that mattered. What was I saying? Ah yes, my murder methods.

They worked decently. But it wasn't human meat that I was interested in so much as the souls, to further empower my spiritualized body, so breaking their body was completely fine. In fact I needed to break their body in order to bring out the soul inside and then devour it.

Preferably I'd break them with my body. Since the last time I ate a living human they clogged my teeth and kept panicking and shouting as he watched his body get swallowed whole. And feeling a Soul Chain grate against my teeth really wasn't something I ever wanted to experience again either. Although it did make a good sight I suppose, a tiny human corpse riddled with holes you could stick your fist in if you were a human.

The prisoners and some guards scattered, which was fine since they couldn't see me. I slithered towards the middle of the room, trapping and crushing people who were running towards the wrong direction as I moved there. I broke every bone into multiple pieces by my weight alone.

Apart from my newfound serpentine body and its limitations I had another question in need of some answers. My newfound...gender...or...sex? How I changed sex in the afterlife was a question beyond me. But it was not a question that would stop me from killing some people and depriving them of an afterlife. Conveniently taking the power that was rightly mine as I did so. The power that my instincts and fate had guided me towards.

I feasted on these poor hapless souls with abandon, having killed nearly everything in the room and preparing to move onto greener pastures, through the hallways. To be frank, killing them may not be necessary at all.

I tilted my head back to speed up the process of eating a man's soul, It was easier to dodge an earache if you ate them quicker. But yeah, killing and eating them was just a precaution on my part. I was _sure_ that my ability wouldn't let me evolve if I used only it. But then again...I might be wrong. But not everything was okay.

Shinigami and Hollows. The only two things that proved to be a detriment to my habitats and my diet. It was trouble like no other when others cottoned on to my ways and thought to emulate me or try and bargain for a cut of my precious source of food. No! they were _all_ mine! And interlopers were not something I could tolerate. A threat to my food and halting destiny's flow for even a moment was unacceptable. I killed them, I just knew that someone escaping with this knowledge was not something I could let happen.

There wasn't much emotion put behind my actions at all. I just had to silence them to make sure no one ate these pockets of helpless humans before I did. But if I could get something from my actions it might be to have legs again. To be beautiful was also quite important for me. If I, formally a man could pull it off then I feel like I'd have contributed to something in some weird way.

First I had a beard in a time where everyone was a baby faced idiot, and now I'd probably have a killer body when I was basically a worm. It had to be worth something right? And if not, my perversion would find a way to make it worth something.

And an obligation to be kind, cruel, beautiful or faceless was inherited by those with true power in a world like this. To be powerful you must also be one of those four things. I would go so far as to claim it was noblesse oblige. My noble obligation, to be as beautiful as I was powerful. If I was truly going to evolve to a great extent and have an impact on this anime world then I needed to look as important as I was in the story.

But upon thinking this I began lamenting. I was kind of ugly now wasn't I? I felt like a fat and bulky worm instead of an intimidating snake. Which, as I destroyed the prison by trying to go through it's hallways, wasn't far off the mark.

Guess that came with the size and the colour scheme, as well as the mask. All of it being ivory white. Bones were not beautiful. I was currently nothing more than a simple animal really. Only Gillians and Vasto Lordes were aesthetically pleasing to my eyes. Gillians fit Hueco Mundo perfectly, the face of Hollows across the world. Vasto Lordes were an unexpected evolution however, a pleasant surprise that appealed to the eyes and senses.

But I had no beauty of my own. I was just an overgrown albino _worm_ that ate humans, and sometimes Hollows. But it was a rare instance where I moved into another town only to find a Shinigami patrolling the town. Irritating and dangerous. A prey that I had rarely ever partaken in. Raiding and exiting towns as quickly as possible was what I always did, without fail. So fighting a Shinigami was incredibly rare, and typically avoided as they were swamped by other Hollows. But I pushed on and simply gamed the odds. Because they would inevitably be attacked, or ambushed by my new kin. It was common sense to gang up on Shinigami alongside some Hollows. But it was not common sense to eat the person that you just shared a near death experience with.

Not that I always did it. The odds were quite low actually, but I'd do it sometimes. How did they sound when they talked? How injured was I? How did they act and talk? Those things decided it. But I could not eat a fellow snake. No matter how crass or rude they seemed to the rest of the outside world snakes were always polite to each other, even if people assumed otherwise. When snakes dined on Shingami's or humans we were perfectly polite and accepting of the others flaws. They were the only ones to know the secret habitat for serpentine Hollows. The prisons. Only they knew about the feasting grounds.

But regardless I had fed well. Shinigami and Hollow souls in the double digits rested within me alongside what felt like thousands of human souls. Shinigami were a special thing. Each that patrolled were pretty pathetic by Bleach standards, more capable than the average Hollow certainly, and there was one in every town I visited. I had only eaten ten of them as a matter of fact, Hollows being much easier to kill and consume. They were better on average but not worth attacking when they had the capability to wield Kido. I judged the risk too high. Attacking only in dishonest ways, never striking from just one direction if I could help it. Which is where my size ended up playing a part at times.

Any opportunity to strike was taken. One more bruise, another beating by the tossed rubble, everything was taken. A war of attrition. My patience was more durable than both their blade and their body. I'd tell them that but my speaking came out in slow hisses, grating on any conversation partners ears. My attack style was also supplemented by my ability, given to me by God himself. An invisible smog that drained the Reiryoku of others. It was enough to cover an entire town and could even be narrowed down in size to speed up the process tremendously, and it was already pretty fast on living humans so yes, I did drain entire towns of spirit energy before moving on.

It also had a different form. Touch. Once I touched something a constant drain was applied, better than my smog. But I called both forms of the ability by the same name.

Serpientes Veneno Inexistente. Snakes Nonexistent Poison. An ability that let me drain Reiryoku and allowed me to keep it. Forever.

A watered down version of the ninth Espada's ability in essence. It might, to a fool, sound incredible. But what spiritual relevance did a person have at all when they could not even perceive you? My ability was a reflection of myself in one way. Its intense hatred of mistakes mirrored my own.

In life I did not push myself often, but once I did I strived for excellence. Mistakes and failures weren't something tolerated by me. Other people were spared from my intense self-flagellation thankfully. But the point was that I'd never get a result if I played it safe and went for a constant drain instead of a quicker drain, the Touch Version being something to rely on. A crutch for a broken arm.

So my ability was something that needed a measure of prediction and daring. Would they flee this way or that? Did they intend to charge or stay back and chant? If I failed I knew I'd kick myself.

It was enough to sate me, more than hundreds, thousands even. But for some reason I was still stuck in my first form. Which was as incredible as it was infuriating. I should have evolved long ago shouldn't I? I had far more than just a thousands of human souls, after all I came equipped with a special ability like all hollows do.

An invisible smog that drained the Reiryoku of others En masse. It was enough to cover an entire town and I could even narrow it down in size to hasten the process.

So why was I still a measly little nothing?! It was scary to be kept back by some unknown force when I needed to evolve in order to live. But it was a simple question to answer, I didn't eat nearly enough. Thousands of weaklings was only a thousand ants. Barely enough to fulfill and satiate the appetite of a creature as powerful as I was. I was only fighting unimportant Hollows and unseated Shinigami. The cannon fodder that was born and created for the people who actually mattered to trample on. But then I recalled a critical fact. Hollows do not evolve. Menos do. And in order to be a Menos you needed to eat a certain amount of Hollows.

There was only way to get as much Hollows as I needed. And that was Hueco Mundo. And once I ate enough Hollows I was supposed to cross an invisible threshold where I became a Menos, and I did remember this with clarity; Menos were attracted to one another and would feast on each other. Leading to the next stage of evolution. So I ripped open a great cosmic gash in reality with my claws and promptly stilled myself.

Because I remembered that I didn't actually have claws and was only deluding myself into believing I had them.

So I pulled upon my spirit energy and began to howl. Ripping open a pretty crappy looking door to my hometown instead, filled with my homeboys. I'd grin, laugh or giggle with my now feminine body but that was quite literally impossible with my mask. To be honest in all the excitement I seem to have forgotten where I actually used to live. The excitement I felt at how fast my sheer rate of progress was must have knocked the information from my head. I was pretty sure that I'd remember in time but it was a point worth noting. I mean...I never once moved out of the place after all. I don't think I even left my country...w-w-w...it began with a that letter. Somewhere around England or...Wales! That was it. Wait...was Wales even a country? I shook my head, It didn't matter.

I went through the doorway, a doorway that was pitch black with the rare scattering of purple, and emerged to behold illuminated sands and a quiet landscape. The only sound to be heard being the soft thump of my large body cratering the soft sand beneath me.

I closed my eyes and hissed in appeasement at how the sands felt across my scales.

 _This. This_ was beauty incarnated! The perfect world before my eyes, a world cast in darkness from a sun that would damage my eyes. And the softest thing I've ever felt. The sands felt like granules of silk, caressing and soothing the scales of my body.

In my heart I declared that _this_ was my country, not Wales. This was my utopia. My ideals crystallized, every part of me felt at peace. At home.

I opened my eyes and turned my head to and fro to gaze across this world of perfection. The darkness that held no stars, only a moon. There was essentially only enough sources of illumination that you could count them with both hands. The clouds were even a minor source of light here, being slightly lighter when compared to the dark sky behind it. The sand, the moon, the trees...all of it made me weep in agony and euphoria. Where were my hands?! How could I not cry in pain at being unable to paint this?! I wished for nothing more than to evolve now as I gazed across this land so that I might finally create a an art piece of this world. Something I knew had never been done before.

I would sell the same piece across all three worlds. The Shinigami would love it, the humans would adore the majestic piece and I would instill nationalism within Hollows. Perhaps patriotism as I did remember that the Soul Society also looked lovely. Its labyrinthine structure and bright and polished walls and floors drew my eye. If I show that painting of the Soul Society to Hollows then perhaps we'd have more pleasant architecture to admire in this world full of Hollows.

But where was this urge to paint coming from? I never had that. And sadly I still remembered how much ass I sucked in art class. Hell...I'm using more fancy words than I typically would.

But I felt at home, beyond what mere words can describe. I dwelled amongst dens of Hollows weaker than me and felt the presence of those stronger than me. All amongst this world that gave no advantage to anyone, but a world that comforted you with its sights and textures every living moment.

Serpientes Veneno Inexistente was cast out as far as it could go. Detecting any Hollow and promptly draining them as I slithered onwards, towards the strongest Menos I could ever find. My ability was always active of course. There was never a moment where I turned it off.

I ate anyone who ticked me off along the way and felt luxury within my absurd power. This land brought out the best in me. I even felt like I had the luxury of time for some reason. An illusion to be sure but one that I luxuriated in along with these sands. I held no doubts that I was in the beginning of the story somewhere. I was not fool enough to believe otherwise, but I had to relax at some point, and feeling how my powers took all the Reiryoku of those weaklings while I used a sandy mountain like a ball pit was probably one of the most therapeutic things there is. To become powerful off of the fruits of others while I played around was truly grand.

But I still had things to do, I had to find those who were stronger than me, I just took my time about it. Bathing under the moonlight and wrapping myself around the quartz trees as I slowly found my objective.

A den full of Menos. More precisely a den full of Gillians. And there I waited, passing away the time under their feet like the snake I was and injecting my bite less venom. Sinking my teeth into their feet and drinking from the air as my Nonexistent Poison narrowed down and drank even quicker.

I drained them dry. The process accelerated by digging my teeth into them. It stacked along with my poisonous aerosol and crippling venom. The Touch Version being used to speed it along, even if I viewed it as a crutch.

To be truthful I was blinded by success and euphoria. It took weeks or maybe even months to drain them. I knew it took longer than it felt but was it worth it? Yes. Well...no. I now had the strength and power of Gillian's inside my body. Thirty six of them to be precise but everything was still the same.

I still had my old body. The answer presented itself to me immediately, I wasn't an idiot after all. I had to eat them to become more powerful. I knew full well where I was and what the rules were.

I had to devour their souls. After careful contemplation that was the answer I came to. Shinigami were strong indeed. But it was only because of their Zanpakuto. The other soul that dwelled within their body. Was it just that Hollows needed a far greater amount? I was forced to say yes. And with that simple answer came a measure of dread and resignation.

I was going to become a Gillian. To become a Gillian was to die.

When you became a Gillian you become nothing more than a gestalt monstrosity. A thing that might evolve if the stars aligned correctly because you were too stupid to figure out how to even hunt anymore. And on top of that even if you did evolve it didn't mean that *you* evolved. Within the Gillian stage everyone you had ever eaten resurfaced to fight for control. To become the only personality.

On the other hand...fate made me believe that there wasn't a problem, that these souls in my stomach would not wriggle at all.

My dread and resignation already vanished, my spine straightening as my destiny forcibly wiped all traces of doubt and fear from my heart. No, the souls I ate would not rebel at all. Fate had tampered with things somehow, rigging my cycle of evolution.

And the upper echelons of power had Barragan slow people down around him and let him age distant objects and people to dust within the blink of an eye. If I wanted that then I had to get eating. So with confidence held in my heart I approached the Gillian, toppled over and powerless from his complete lack of spirit energy, and began devouring him. Beginning my metamorphosis.

It was a quick road. Possible only thanks to my intelligent strategy of raiding buildings full of hundreds of people who could not escape.

It didn't even take me a year. Not once had I taken a break now that I think about it. Was that why I was so happy to be here? Who knew. I just started biting down on his foot, praying and calling upon the luck that was merciful enough to grant me this second life to aid me once again.

Praying for fate to turn me into something greater than a useless mob enemy.

 **Omake, ACTIVATE!**

Omake 1, Rex comes for you! Et tu my lovely?!

It died a death it truly hated, the canine feeling the slim stick of metal pierce it's mouth.

As the crook would be handled by justice not many would mourn the particularly difficult K-9 unit. The source of all its difficulties was that it yearned for its mother. An oddity.

An oddity great enough to turn it into a Hollow! Fido Tyrannosaurs Mutt as the large things called it knew only one thing.

It was hungry and knew where food was.

Unbeknownst to Fido Mutt was that it was supposed to be man's best friend.

Guess that's why it was called the mutt tyrant.

This small feisty stray would go on to become Captain Komamura's greatest nemesis yet!

Brace yourself Komamura! Fido Tyrannosaurus Mutt comes for you!

Respect his first, middle, and last name!

And listen to Disgaea's OST while you listen to these. Disgaea 4 - Sparking.

Within the span of one omake I've referenced THREE Werewolves. If you count Fido Mutt that is!

And I'll count Komamura too...not that I know WHAT he is!


	2. Blue Tinted Shock

I bit down on the foot. A loud groan came from the Gillian that I was eating. My fangs were not immediately rebuffed or shattered from eating its shoe.

It was the nature of this world. The laws of Bleach. The most prominent one being how fights between spiritual beings typically worked out. The law of Reiatsu and Reiryoku. That was the deciding factor between a fight of spiritual beings. When the dead fought the dead, be they Shinigami or Hollows, the one with the greater spiritual pressure won out. So no matter the skill you had or the tricks you deployed they could be rendered null with the few exceptions being certain Captain class Zanpakuto. Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Soi-Fon being the most notable in my mind. From the depths of my fragmented knowledge I recollected that Shunsui Kyoraku had a Bankai along those lines. I believe it was damage multiplication based on colours? The Bankai took its power from a children's game if I recall correctly.

Those two were basically the only ones who could ignore that critical rule of who had the greater Reiatsu winning out in a fight. Reiatsu simply being Reiryoku that was actually being put to good use. As it stood I held the combined Reiryoku of multiple Gillians, I just didn't have the body and the techniques that they could perform. Perhaps it was because I was lazy and didn't go out of my way to learn? I mean...what was the point in trying when I was evolving at the rate I was? It was better to just chow down and evolve and learn like everyone else instead of trying to be special.

As I began making way in devouring the gigantic beast I allowed myself to be weak. Dreams of succeeding and blossoming into a beautiful creature, dreams of tender love and being fussed over by someone who was my equal, or stronger than me. Those were my dreams as I began walking the path of evolution. Dreams and wishes from the bottom of my heart. Something so dear to me that I would take on the strongest characters this world had to offer for even the slightest chance of it coming true, I'd die for it as a matter of fact.

I had always desired to be cherished and taken care of. It was...a relic of my childhood. Yes, that was it...I remember that I was...scared...too scared to face the world or its people. Desiring constant comfort from the only person in the world that I cared about. Who I could trust with all my heart. Infinity with my loved one, not that I was lucky enough to ever have such a thing.

As I began to slowly eat its foot I remembered that little tidbit of mine. But how could I forget how I acted? How could I forget who I was? Did I remember my name? No...I didn't. I was...was...c...

Who...was I? I stopped eating immediately and began panicking. I couldn't...cyan?

I don't know why but that word popped into my head. Cyan...felt wrong and right at the same time. Like the colour was just some sort of code. Like my initials.

The moment I said that I began to calm down and felt relieved and resumed my eating. Those _were_ my initials. Now I remember, if you said my initials quickly then you ended up saying the colour. But I couldn't quite remember what they stood for.

So...I was forgetting things hm? I slowed my eating to the point where I was essentially drooling on the foot.

I guess I had to put up with it. I wasn't fool enough to panic and think I could stop it or do anything significant or important in the time I had left as a mere Menos. Gillian's couldn't even talk. So I couldn't tell Ulquiorra that Aizen didn't care about him and would probably betray him or anything like that. I guess I just had to ride it out and hope I was quick enough, hopefully being able to reach the destination ordained for me by fate before I forgot anything essential.

Slow was the eating, in this underground cave. My mood, the atmosphere, was contemplative and somber. Despite my previous statement I was slow, just this one time. I would let myself be weak and mourn.

I had forgotten where I came from again. Ah...that was tragic. My previous knowledge was quickly becoming fragmented beyond what I knew of this show I was living in.

The foot was consumed now. I began to move up and eat the rest. Darkness consumed my view as I marched down the path of evolution. I crawled up the pant leg, eating his leg all the while. A sensation growing within me, I couldn't help but close my eyes and the rest of my senses as the feeling grew more intense.

In the end I fell asleep before I realized what exactly was going on. Evolution couldn't be witnessed with ones own eyes it seems. Only those on the outside could perceive you, at least, that's what seemed to be the case. My last thoughts before falling asleep was about how I never saw a mirror in this world. I never saw what I looked like in this new form of mine. That was criminal really. Maybe I should have stopped for a second and tried to peer into a buildings many glass windows to see...my...reflection...

Those were my last thoughts.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

I was gigantic, menacing and imperial.

I had woken up with this body. I guess being tall enough to hip check an apartment complex was really something you couldn't be awake for. It was probably not safe in the grand scheme of things.

I had to admit it, I admired my new form. I was an imperial sentry. The first sign for the so called Soul Reapers that doomsday was coming. No ordinary Shinigami stood up to one of us and lived! I stepped forward and felt the earth shake and scream, sand imploding and creating a sound that signalled my extreme power. I felt pleased and excited with my newfound figure and felt odd details that I was only vaguely aware of when I had woken up. I examined them before doing anything and found out that I was particularly tall for a Gillian. This was probably to make space for the tail. I still had it, and I towered over the typical Gillian, who typically put skyscrapers to shame. I glanced down at one of the Gillian's scattering the sandy floor and did an estimate.

I was head and shoulders above them, and even had a tail tucked into the massive black garment, hidden away by the huge cloak that enveloped me. I wrapped the tail around my leg in order to conceal it further.

But that was enough of my mental reevaluation, now was a time to think about the mechanics of Bleach. A mental checklist of evolutionary hurdles that I had to face was what I focused on first. Adjucha and Vasto Lorde. Only Vasto Lordes were safe in this world. Adjucha on the other hand had a rocky road to victory. If they didn't fulfill yet _another_ invisible quota then they reverted back into a Gillian. A quota all about time, so if I didn't evolve quickly enough them I'd revert back into a Gillian with no hope of evolving again. They also couldn't afford any mistakes in a fight. I knew they couldn't evolve if they...er...lost a piece of themselves?

Okay. It took a few seconds to recall. Not bad, maybe I can make it to Adjucha in time to not forget that important bit of information.

It was, I quickly found out, even easier to eat Gillian's with the new increase in size. I really was like a snake, swallowing something whole in a single bite. I used the ability that destiny granted me and searched for the next source of food, casting out Serpientes Veneno Inexistente. I needed to evolve, and I needed to do it quickly. Now I couldn't afford even a moment of weakness if it might stunt my evolution. Which is why I was flailing about in the cavern, waving my arms and legs as I ate another Gillian, both of my limbs bringing another body closer to me. Gross and vulgar movements and actions, but I had no choice on it with this _barely_ manageable time limit hanging above me.

But no, it was not nearly enough, I knew it wasn't, and my net hadn't found much outside the cave. And as I took my first colossal steps into the outside world I ruminated upon my progress.

I had no doubt I was in the database of the Soul Society, probably with my ability noted down somewhere on my profile. If they could create a file on a _worm_ like Grand Fisher then I had to be on it. I didn't always kill the Shinigami on patrol, and spiritual entities were capable of sensing Reishi, so it was inevitable that by the third or the fourth town or maybe even the first, that they noticed something had drained an entire populace of their spiritual potential.

For a brief moment I worried about how many I killed being a sign too before I face palmed myself. How I could I be so stupid? A few thousands would surely slip through the cracks right? Did I even kill that many?

By the sixth step outside the den of Menos I had resigned myself to cannibalism being the only way to make it within the time frame. Crushing an entire town and draining their Reiryoku and their Souls was hardly worth it. Not with the amount of Shinigami such an option would attract. Either too many or none at all, suboptimal plays could neither be tolerated or performed.

I did have Cero now, but that was hardly worth the actual quality reinforcements that would be sent my way. I did remember that Squad Twelve had detection equipment. I'd call it a satellite but it wasn't that. Not sure how they surveyed the world of the living actually.

The moon had evaded my notice for a second.

I ceased all of my thoughts and gave all of my attention when I saw the mouth of this gigantic underground cavern. I took my first steps under the beautiful moon and left a giant cratered footprint in the sand and roared my majestic triumph all across the land. Emotion struck me like nothing else. I faced the moon and screamed at it for what felt like hours. I gave in to my euphoria and cast aside all thought for the simple, flawless, and effortless victory I had carved for myself in this world. I screamed my beautiful and refined voice across Hueco Mundo. For who else other than myself could be so beautiful and so powerful with barely a modicum of effort? No one, because no one was as smart as I was, as strong and as lucky as I was, as agile and blessed as I was, for now that I had removed that useless barrier and evolved into a Gillian I could now recognise my own glory.

Was I mercurial? Perhaps, but all I knew was that I embraced every emotion and rode it out to its end. I wallowed in sadness the same way I bathed in happiness, despair, and joy. To its ultimate, extreme end.

Even my tapering wails sounding beautiful to my own ears. But that made sense. Of _course_ it did, I was a splendid example as a man and I would be a wonderful example as a woman. With my sonorous sounds and words of victory I extolled myself as the most beautiful being in existence, I then lauded myself as the most eloquent, and all in a single scream. To signalize my beautiful appearance and world destroying powers I screamed out a beautiful Cero into the world. But not just one, two of the most majestic dark pink orbs would explode into the world from the tip of my tail and from a mouth that was equal to the voice of the gods.

I aimed both at the same target, whatever useless landmass that I was originally facing when I exited the cave of my rebirth.

And as I watched my dark pink beams of destruction scream into the distant horizon where the night met the sands, I laughed my power induced rapture across the sands. And as I left the cave, I spared a distant thought, wondering if anyone as majestic as myself might exist.

When I lifted my foot I decided that no, no one as grand as myself could exist. And when my foot landed and crushed the ground beneath me, I also crushed that thought and all memories of it.

Emotion gripped my heart and soul, with the imprint of my rational plan behind its movements.

A giant ran into the horizon with its heart beating out of control, its body moving to perform a half-remembered plan as it praised itself without limit.

The emotions had caught up to the soul.

But time moved on.

And a suspicion was being proven correct in a place beside these vast and beautiful dunes of sand.

Night had come to place itself over the Soul Society's sky.

The Gotei Thirteen was becoming agitated.

A cane slammed into the floor. Signaling that the Captains meeting had begun. Two columns of Captains stood shoulder to shoulder, looking at the floor as the Head Captain looked between both the columns.

"Have we still yet to deal with the Hollow causing us so much trouble?" An old and deep voice rang out through the room. The Head Captain, Genryusai Yamamoto, had spoken.

Toshiro Hitsugaya was the one to speak up this time. "I'm afraid not Head Captain. We've yet to catch it. Furthermore it seems to have...disappeared."

Genryusai was quick to respond. "Do you mean to tell me that none of you have actually caught this new Hollow? That it has disappeared into Hueco Mundo, where we can no longer reach it?" He raised his voice to the point where he was a step away from shouting. "This is unacceptable! We have had multiple Squads placed on this single Hollow and its murderous rampage and yet not a single one of you has yet to stop it! How could such a thing happen?"

Mayuri Kurotsuchi was the only one to respond, taking a step forward as he did so, turning his head to face the Head Captain and just so _happening_ to poke Captain Kyoraku's forehead as well, the pointed tip of the accessory he wore doing that. "Well you see Captain this new Hollow that cropped up was rather selective in its unique ability. It was actually smart enough to be selective in its uses and thus avoided the measures that were put in place to try and detect and catch it. Even with a helping hand from Squad Two we did not have an easy time of trying to locate it."

Yamamoto turned his head a little to face his subordinate Captain. "What do you mean Captain Mayuri? Explain." The close-eyed and stern face of the Head Captain looked at Mayuri, who had extravagant makeup by any standard and wore a rather strange accessory on his head.

A jet black face and orange eyes were the most outstanding features. The only part of his head that was white was the strange accessory he wore and the white paint that completely covered the nose.

One of the Soul Society's greatest sociopaths walked in order to face the rest of his Captains. Although, calling an ignorant barbarian like Kenpachi Zaraki a Captain, _a_ _n equal_ , was truly a flaw in the system, not one he could be bothered correcting however. Especially considering that he held some interest when he killed a Captain with only his Shikai, it would be interesting to examine what form his Bankai might take. He looked down both aisles full of..."peers." And when he looked at Toshiro he looked down his nose at him. Couldn't be helped however. When looking at a child in a crowd of adults there was only so much give to your head.

He began speaking to his inferiors. "Depending on the amount of Hollows in the surrounding area and the estimated strength of the Shinigami, it would only absorb the Reiryoku of certain places and beings in order to avoid detection. Furthermore...It is Reiryoku we are talking about here. It's not Reishi." He threw his hands out, they too were painted completely white with the fingernails being blue. "Reiryoku for the simpletons that somehow don't know this, is literally the spiritual capability of individuals. So even if an entire town was drained of its Reiryoku there is still the Reishi to deal with. It is NOT a Quincy. If so then it would be much easier to find. And its not as if the pitiful amount of Reiryoku that some random human has in comparison to the Reishi in their surrounding environment is going to be significant." He clasped his hands behind his back and prepared to step back in his spot in the line.

The Head Captain spoke again. "This does not answer my question. There were multiple Squad members from multiple Divisions within the Gotei Thirteen placed within the world of the living solely to hunt this Hollow down. Are you all telling me that not one of them had spotted this monstrosity? Are you telling me that even with the helping hands of the Second and Twelfth Divisions that you could not find a single Hollow?!" The cane banged against the floor.

Shunsui Kyoraku pulled his hat down and didn't speak up. Jushiro Ukitake didn't speak either. No one did. The Head Captain spoke again. "Unbelievable. Were all the Soul Reapers that were sent out simply incompetent? Why did any of the Divisions bother sending them out in the first place?!" He was silent for a handful of moments before his fists tightened upon the cane and he began speaking again. "Dismissed. If this Hollow ever appears again then we will change our strategies since they clearly did not work this time. Hopefully it will be killed by its own kind this time, since we cannot seem to track it. If it ever appears again then I want the Second Division to lend their full assistance this time, and more seated officers from the Divisions to be sent out on the hunt this time. Do _not_ make me send a lieutenant for this! They are meant to tackle more serious things, not one meager Hollow. It is already a disgrace that a seated officer must be sent to tackle one Hollow alone. Dismissed!"

After the meeting was dismissed Shunsui and Ukitake were walking back to their offices, they largely had to walk the same route, which let the two friends discuss and commiserate on many things that had happened lately.

As was typical, Shunsui was the one to initiate the conversation this time. And he did so by pulling out a small picture of the target he sent out his unseated officers to investigate. Along with three seated officers. "She's a mean one isn't she?" He was silent and cupped his chin as he stared at the picture. "Quite a looker though. That's some good makeup, first I've seen on a Hollow anyway. Gotta wonder how much it cost though, with the size of her an' all.

His friend Jushiro Ukitake, Captain of the Thirteenth Division glanced at him amusedly. "What do you mean Shunsui? Many Hollows do come with makeup. Just...not as well done as this one."

Shunsui tossed his arm out in a gesture. "That's exactly what I mean. She's still a little ugly of course but I bet she could be a real treat if you know what I mean?"

Now Jushiro looked exasperated, even going so far as to sigh, as a small breeze blew back Jushiro's long silver hair. "Honestly Shunsui, you're unbelievable. She's even deadlier than she looks. I mean, you can hardly hit on her in the middle of a battle now can you?"

"I don't know about that Jushiro. She might be more receptive than she seems. First I think we'll have to start with with some food to sate that appetite of hers, I mean just look at those fangs, there ain't gonna be room left for a salad let me tell you that."

His friend sighed. "Shunsui..."

He glanced at his friend. "What Jushiro? Snakes are carnivores. I can hardly give her a sundae now can I?"

"Say whatever you like, but she's going to eat you before she eats whatever food you gave her."

"Well yeah, that's true I suppose." he pulled his hat down and really payed attention to the photo. "She's certainly taken a lot of poor souls hasn't she?" He shook his head, his emotions finally on display, and getting the best of him. "Thousands in just a couple of days. Took us quite some time to find her in the first place, and that's not counting what a disaster that the search for her ended up being."

"Indeed. It was quite the trial and error process I suppose." Jushiro Ukitake promptly brightens up as he said his next words. "Well, at least we won't have trouble finding her next time with Mayuri around. No one gets the best of him twice, or even the once in some cases. Still..." He looked at the photo as well. It was taken at dawn from a rooftop, the Hollow clearly visible by it's gigantic size and the markings it had. It was tall enough to tower over the buildings it was wedged between on the road. Its space having displaced some materials from both the buildings and the street that it was travelling on.

The most striking thing apart from the rather large size was the three pink dots under its eyes.

"She'll be a tough opponent if she ever gets far enough."

"Oh?" Shunsui tilted his head back to face his friend, exposing his grey eyes from the cover of his straw hat. "I didn't think you were the fighting type Jushiro. We typically leave that stuff to Squad Eleven."

"Yes, I know. But I'm not sure any of the seated Shinigami within any of our Divisions might be able to actually handle this one if she turns into a Menos Grande, if Mayuri's suspicion is proven to be right and she does keep that Reiryoku then..."

"It won't be that difficult Jushiro. They certainly won't be capable of handling her if she was an Adjucha, but a Menos Grande version of this Hollow will certainly require some coordination from our lieutenants."

"Yeah..." Silence passed before Jushiro spoke again. "By the way, speaking of coordination..." He reached out and tilted his friends straw hat even further and exposed the red spot on Shunsui's forehead. "How are you holding up after Mayuri stabbed you with his headgear?"

He sighed. "Well...about as well as can be expected." He started rubbing at the small bleeding eyesore on his forehead. "Ever since he figured that out he wont stop doing it. Everyone keeps making fun of me for it, would ya' believe that?" Shunsui experienced flashbacks of all the times someone insulted him for it. "Nanao gives me a hard time over it, says I'm supposed to stick up for myself, Soi-Fon told me to 'clean up my stupid forehead.' And even Old man Yama and even Saijin Komomura give me looks about it. And the last one's got an awful lot of nerve over it since he hides his face under a bucket."

Jushiro chipped in, even as his expression changed from it's usually bemused setting. "Yes, It's spectacular how even Kaname and Gin pick up on it. Especially since one of them is blind."

"I know right? Unbelievable. Even Aizen seemed to poke fun at it...at least he didn't do it literally."

Their conversation for tonight would only be about how Mayuri had... _devestated_ Shunsui's life by stabbing him in the forehead with a toilet shaped helmet. They already had this conversation five times before.

"And the old man doesn't even speak up when it happens! I know he can see even if his eyes are closed, him and Gin see somehow, I know it! It's like they find it funny Jushiro!"

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

 **Post Script...** **This chapter never used to feature the Soul Society, but then I wondered how Toshiro Hitsuguya would handle this alone in his office.** **How it came to showcase the two friends is beyond me...perhaps it was Mayuri? In any case, I should mention there is a small stockpile of chapters left for me to upload.** **And the main character determined her actions to be of no consequence due to Hollows being so frequent.**

 **I'm also going to use my title as a line break. Just...not when she uses it to...you get the point. I also meant to upload this sooner, every stockpiled chapter is to be realesed every two days.**


	3. Blue Labyrinth

I stood tall in a stance that showed both my sentience and my imperialism, how I stood alone on the tallest dune and turned myself into the tallest thing that one could see, was a signal of who I was, a pride filled thing that had not been toppled nor could be.

I stood alone, I did not bother with the Hollows scampering under my feet, whether they be the dead and corrupted spirits of animals or those of humans. Instead I casted my net, my Serpientes Veneno Inexistente and found the strongest sources of power I could. Again I had no different result, there were no Adjuchas around, and I had given up on my pursuit on Gillian's. They did not provide the sustenance I craved or needed. Not to make it in the timeframe that was set. They were just a tasty morsel...nothing more.

It had been so long that I had been forced into one way of thinking.

That the Adjuchas in the area had noted my power consumption, my Serpientes Veneno Inexistente, and did not approach because of it. I was content to just stand here and drain everything, content in believing that they were just a rare species, but now weeks had passed and I no longer had the patience to corner an Adjuchas when they were alone and with no one to help them. God help me but I was impatient enough to crush an entire group if I saw any. If need be I would shoot both my Ceros at a group of Adjuchas and devour whoever was left over instead of breaking everyone of their bodies with my hands. It was...as sloppy as it was wasteful, leaving far less for me to eat. It was getting to the point where I would make an attempt to eat even Grimmjow if I found him. But I curbed my impatience and remembered that was a stupid idea, he destroyed his own Fracción when they were all Adjuchas, and that was when he was outnumbered and on the same stage of evolution. To compare whose destinies was greater between him and I was something that I believed was folly. He was the...nemesis of someone and had achieved great fame for it.

Hmph. Damn memory.

My white fist clenched, the fingers making an almighty clicking sound and the force of it disturbing the sand below me lightly. It calmed me, knowing that this wasn't even the extent of my power in this spiritualized body of mine. That a being taller than multiple houses could affect the ground with a mere gesture...

But to get back on track, anyone else was fair game. Although I moved like a violent earthquake when pushed I retained a great measure of agility, I was faster than any other Gillian and far stronger too _but,_ and I was embarrassed to say this; looked like I was have a violent seizure when I was pushed to move.

A snake stays still for many reasons, preserving one's dignity being _one_ of those. And I had no intention of dislodging myself from my spot. I wanted to be the tallest thing around, to be the strongest and most noticeable Menos Grande that could be spotted within this great country. This great world of Hueco Mundo! And it should have worked, but no Hollow brave or bloodthirsty enough showed themselves to face me.

None of them even wandered around here.

So the problems mounted, the biggest being that the Adjuchas were apparently smart enough to somehow determine what my power did from a distance and took the appropriate measures or were just so rare that there were only a couple thousand...or even a hundred! And how was I supposed to find them if there were so few of them? The denizens of this wonderful world also gossiped too. Which meant that everyone knew. I remembered that Cyan Sung-Sun heard people gossiping about Aizen's Arrancar schemes. So I was in a bad spot now that everyone knew my power. Though...There were some extreme solutions...assuming every Hollow somehow did know and believed it. I wouldn't use my last resort unless that was the case. And what was my last resort?

Go to the human world and wait for a squad of Shinigami and put myself in extreme harm by facing someone actually worth a damn. Or just move and eat every Hollow that I could find. Both had to sate both the hole in my heart and my newfound thirst for glorious power. Considering the term Menos was applied only to cannibalistic Hollows I was certain it was the latter option I would be following up on. The only reason I entertained the latter thought at all was simply because I was so desperate. I discarded the thought prior but I had a few ways to render Squad Twelve and its surveillance systems meaningless if I did it right. But those were all theories, if I applied them practically and they were wrong then there was no coming back from that.

I barely recalled them in any significant capacity apart from the fact that they had surveillance equipment and was lead by a great guy. But I knew if I played it right, by curbing the use of my power and invading with other Hollows I could do it. I'd have to be fast too of course. I might bring too much heat on myself once they realized the situation. I _did_ faintly remember a scene where Aizen and his lackeys had moved to rescue a group of Shinigami within minutes. I don't wanna end up a casualty after all.

So I grudgingly moved with an ominous groan of anger, though, to be fair, any noise I made as a Gillian was threatening, even laughter from the heart. Onward I trotted across nameless lands with my tail carelessly carving its place through the sand. Onward I walked with no destination in mind, with my Serpientes Veneno Inexistente out and as potent as possible, draining anything in its range as quickly as it could, forcing the smaller Hollows into the human world, they fled there as it was easier to escape my power that way than run out of the range of my invisible net.

Odd behavior since they had scampered around my feet before. Perhaps they knew of my temperament? No...nonsense, I was a Menos. It was a dog eat dog world in this sense. They must have drifted over to me when they saw and sensed the powerless animal Hollows. Becoming a corrupted spirit didn't seem to help their intelligence any. They stuck around me for some reason I couldn't fathom or couldn't care too.

I enjoyed the scenery however, and on my walk that spanned from one day to the next I thought about some things. About all the curiosities that the human world had surely developed by now and my place in the timeline.

That last one I could not decipher. I knew only part and parcel of Bleach, not all of it. And my memory of things was being tampered with, did Aizen even happen yet? Was Kaien Shiba dead? Frankly I only faintly knew that the sky was blue within Las Noches when Aizen was around. So far I hadn't even found that marble palace. Was I so far flung forward that all the arcs had ended already? I dearly hoped not or else I'd be surrounded by a bunch of wimps.

My net added a truly negligible amount to my Reiryoku. I had yet to find a nest of Gillians again but I did get the idea to stick with a nest full of them for a while. An Adjucha can command Gillians, so one would inevitably come along to take them and add them to its posse. And I would be there amongst them. But no, I would have drained every last one of them. Making it impossible to sense them no matter who you were.

So in the end I decided to just wander the land. I decided to eat whatever I could find now. My Nonexistent Poison as spread out as it could be. Until finally, after a week, I found them.

I stood before a flock of Adjuchas. All of them standing a fair distance before me, looking right at me and were more than ready to cross that distance as quickly as they could. And I was more than ready to cross that distance for them. They could no doubt sense my tremendous power, such was the reason they took me seriously.

The length spanning a few streets was all that separated us, and I would not move backwards to increase it. It did not matter if my poison had more time to drain their Reiatsu or not, I would take it all when I ate them and would need no dirty tricks to do it. I roared my first Cero into life and let it go screaming towards them.

Instantly I saw their freakish forms scatter, my brilliant pink Cero lighting up the world and their hideous forms. Disgusting, they were ugly no matter what they did due to that alien body they were stuck with. Even if they mutilated themselves they'd still be like giant cockroaches in my eyes.

 _What filthy vermin they are..._

I was so strong from having taking multitudes of Gillians into me with the Reiryoku of countless others. My Reiatsu was so strong that I was sure hitting even the most durable Adjucha in this worthless band of rabble would have had serious impact on wherever I hit him. Perhaps even breaking a limb.

From a flock of Thirteen Adjuchas two had already been dealt a crippling blow with the rest already being near my legs, where my second Cero was charging. The shear darkness of the cloak I was adorned with obfuscating my Cero completely.

The result upon its release was as explosive as it was disastrous. One had even perished into nothing upon the direct hit to his body, and the other three to face that blast were heavily damaged, five were crippled and were fit to be meat, mostly incapable of putting up resistance or running.

A Gillian couldn't do this. But I was the exception to that rule, the reason why? A greater amount of Reiatsu.

It was the number one rule of Bleach. In a battle between spiritual entities the only thing that mattered was the amount of spirit energy you had. Skill and strength didn't matter at that point. A Captain ranked Shinigami could take an infinite amount of blows from a regular hollow and be fine. In fact, that inferior spiritual being could destroy itself in its attacks. I recalled that first meeting between Zaraki and Kurosaki quite vividly. Ichigo had suffered a wound to his hand when he struck Kenpachi.

I was operating on that same logic, I had far surpassed Aaroniero's spiritual power, I was just without the power up he got when that useless tool became an Arrancar. I was surely greater than that buffoon. I was devouring Adjucha now. The strength of entire towns and uncountable thousands of Hollows had settled within me along with some Shinigami. Admittedly they were complete _losers_ but still...these guys would have a hard time facing me.

They were in the same spot that Sado was. Compared to me, who drained multiple existences of all the spiritual power that they had? It was like comparing a river to the ocean. A fitting metaphor as I still drained them. Carefully micromanaging my Serpientes Veneno Inexistente to catch the most while leaking as little as possible.

I needed to catch their bodies within my power, expanding my ability anymore beyond just the body reduced the potency of my power.

Thirteen and six had become useless. But now they had to cut through me, but I wasn't that arrogant. I had only beaten so many because I had fired off my Cero's, now was a close range fight, and I only had one more trick up my sleeve.

I was observed by them cautiously, silently. It was unlike the way of Hollows, they would usually make derisive comments, secure in their arrogance. Now they would not bother, for all they knew I was a bag of souls that couldn't even understand them. Not that I could blame them for that, intelligence between Hollows tended to differ between too chatty to being incapable of even talking.

They could tell that attacking me wouldn't go so well, I could see it in there stances the moment they realised that. The sounds that they uttered.

Couldn't tell you what sounds those were what with my size and all. Humans didn't hear ants make noise after all, bit difficult with the height difference between the two.

Which is why I charged as quickly as I could, they wouldn't attack me at my feet anymore, they'd jump up and claw at my shoulders, getting to my neck and mask and I couldn't suffer that charge. I had spikes around my neck but once they got past that then getting them off would be harder.

I could still see them, which was a bad sign since it meant that I wasn't closing in quickly enough, that I would be avoided. If I lashed out with my tail to smash them I'd only get a few, and I could see no way to resolve that troublesome situation. They would have reached my Hollow Mask by then.

Except an insane thought entered my head?

What if I tripped?

I was close enough, and if I started charging a Cero from my mask the results would be disastrous. Which is exactly what I did. But I had already missed three, all out of my range and were likely going to retreat from what I could hear of their frenzied and panicked screams and chatter, at best I was going to kill two with this and fall into a self-made crater where they could attack me. Less than optimal, and my predictions came true, but if the survivors were going to run then I had no more use for my tail. Striking out I grabbed at least one more snack, coiling strong muscle against his body.

He would be the first meal. In the end I didn't count or remember anything I had done that day, simply counting all the meaty snacks and sacrifices that lead to my next ascension of power.

Another herd of Adjucha was what they were. And I needed more than this band of weaklings. They were just like Grimmjow's Fraccion. Weak, talentless, and incapable of handling Seated Officers as Adjucha ranked Arrancar.

Yes. The divide between Grimmjow and his own Fraccion was incomprehensible. These peons were just like them. Literal cannon fodder.

It wasn't enough. There wasn't enough souls amongst these pathetic louts to send me to the next stage of evolution. No. There wasn't even enough Reiryoku in them.

No wonder trash like Yammy all the way to Zommari got to be Espada. Those lot probably weren't even Adjucha and were even stronger than Grimmjow's band of plebs.

A bit mystifying. Perhaps the bar was lowered or raised for certain Hollows when it came to evolving?

It was close at the very least.

Fate's intuition told me so. That I was close to evolving, so all I needed was just a bit more in me. At least they were good trash.

I stood up, no corpses were around me, everything else having been eaten. I began walking again, trying to find something better than high-quality trash.

I admitted to myself in this calm moment of resignation that my sentience was a bit of a mystery. Was it because I was blessed by fate? Maybe it was because I had retained control of my body in the transition it underwent into a Menos Grande. Perhaps the other souls were too weak or stupid? They were insane after all...

I went on a casual stroll, with my tail let down. My mask was undamaged and saw everything. My Nonexistent Poison was out at full, and I intended to narrow it down on the strongest thing I could find within its range. That was how I lived my life.

It took weeks to find another Adjucha. It might take over ten years to find a Vasto Lourde for all I knew.

Two of them. Both of whom were expending their Reiryoku. Fighting.

One was no doubt some sort of octopus, the other was mutated to the point that I could not determine what animal it first took the shape of. Being too humanoid and having too small a mask for me too tell what it was supposed to be.

Octopus man on the other hand had his tentacles out and was clearly losing. His tentacles were also coming out from his hip.

My Serpientes Veneno Inexistente had brought the bar far lower. Even the average Adjucha didn't match up to me now. And these were clearly a bit above the average Adjucha. But it didn't matter, they weren't a match in comparison to my power. My ability having always been on _every. Single. Moment._

As it turned out having taken so long to find them was a good thing. I drained everything dry that was in my vicinity. I always did. So my Reiryoku, and more importantly my Reiatsu vastly outclassed whatever my weight class currently was. My Serpientes Veneno Inexistente was simply too good. I drained and kept everything. My own strength, bolstered by multiple Adjucha whilst my opponent was weakening put me in the upperclass of Adjucha power scaling.

In short these two weren't worth mention. The wealth of souls stuck within them was all that I was interested in. Only souls triggered the next stage of evolution. That's what it looked like anyway.

As I stepped forth into combat mindlessly, I went over my theories. No need to think about fighting when it was this easy to win.

Only Gillians who were special could evolve. Those with the mask they had prior and the sentience to go with it, knew that killing and eating Gillians was the way to go. I could ignore that thanks to my power and feast on Adjucha instead.

To retain your mask and avoid the Gillian one you needed to...hmm. Shit. I forgot even that? That didn't bode well at all...

I kicked one into paste. Didn't know who it was but he looked salvageable at least. I smashed the other one with my tail. The massive scaly white appendage being smeared some with his blood.

I was close. So close to evolution. I fell with no grace and ate the one I kicked, lapping up his blood too. My forked tongue making the experience more interesting.

I had a split moment of wondering why we evolved the way we did. How did Shinigami give birth to a new soul? That Zanpakutō of theirs? Was a Hollow just an inferior copy of Shinigami?

No matter how I sliced it that was the only conclusion I could come to. Vasto Lordes were stronger than Shinigami Captains, but did they even retain their ability? Aizen outright _mugged_ Barragan, and Tier Harribel wasn't throwing water at that pin head Arrancar.

I turned to the other one, my thoughts leading me to another line of inquiry completely unrelated to the last one.

Multiplication and Division.

Arrancars and Soul Reapers.

That was it! The only thing that connected them!

The instantaneous multiplication and subsequent dividing of the soul! The moment a Hollow removed the boundary and came into contact with the source of power that a Soul Reaper had, they took strength from it! So much strength that an immediate division was followed up on. Thus creating the pseudo-Zanpakutō that every Arrancar had.

Was it because they couldn't handle all that power in one stage? Suddenly Aizen's butterfly appearance under the effects of the Hōgyoku made sense. Our souls evolved in form, changing shape as was needed to handle the power that we had.

We _were_ insects, replacing leaves with souls and evolving to handle the powers we had. But we were just soul jars. Shinigami had somehow matched us without taking the souls of hundreds of others. By their own they hatched another soul within a blade. They _made_ one. And on top of that they could even match an Espada without the Hōgyoku's transformative capabilities!

I was flat on my stomach, still eating him when I realised that I might not be talking nonsense. I can admit to being a fool and not ever having even finished the Fake Karuka Town arc but I was certain that I was right.

Every sign was pointing to Hollows being the caveman, the dinosaur, the prototype to Shinigami. We were unable to utilize whatever source of power that we had.

No Kido, no Zanpakuto, and no-wait!

I suddenly remembered that odd Captain for whom no explanation was given. A Komamura something or other. Under that helmet had lied a dog. But how?

My mind had cast me back to the past. To the most useless part of my knowledge. Kon was...fighting a dog. A dog Hollow. An animal...had obtained enough power to become that shape and size, but it could not talk or reason. There...was also a lizard Hollow that Uryū observed. Tiny and powerless, surviving on the Reishi within the atmosphere rather than an enemies own power.

Everything within my theory was lining up! But I couldn't hold on, my eyes were closing already.

Everything was adding up, but a rumble came from the earth. It was me. There was nothing to muffle the sounds as I groaned.

This would...I was feeling tired, wanting to sleep. Artificially induced of course. Was I evolving then? Perhaps I should welcome it. After all...I couldn't go to sleep after finding out such a revelation. Maybe I'd even forget it. I wouldn't be haunted by this and could dream away my troubles.

No...that's not what I wanted. I valued truth. Even if I was ever-changing. To remember one's origins was always worthy. To admit was...

Was...

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

 **Post Script...**

 **Okay, twelve hours past when I said I'd upload. I mean, like, only ten people are reading this story but still, I oughta explain myself.**

 **I brought a new game. May have sunk 10 hours into it. May or may not have went to bed at 5 in the morning. May or may not have been aware of the passing of time. Sadly, this chapter only has 3600 words or so, and the word potato has taken on a completely different meaning for me now.**

 **Suppose I'll elucidate since you've got two days to wait till the next one. The original Tres Bestia weren't Espada at all. Despite being Adjucha when evolving. Thats what makes me think there's a giant chasm in power levels between Adjucha. We even observe Grimmjow dismantle a whole band of them. His own Fraccion. Weaklings but still enough to make me write this.**

 **Now we're in the realm of seated officers. The lower rungs anyway. Thats what I believe the 9th Espada's strength to be before he becomes an Arrancar.**


	4. Application of Power

now become an Adjucha I was practically at the pinnacle of evolution now. If I could trash those so called "Adjuchas" as just a Gillian then a mere Vasto Lorde stood NO chance!

I felt my slender limbless body rise, my body having changed dramatically.

"Ahhhhh..." My relief was palpable, for the air finally kissed my face. My sigh of relief was just as distinct, my voice becoming crystal clear without a bothersome Hollow Mask to distort my voice...my glorious voice. "My...even I didn't know that my very voice was a weapon, yes, even my voice reflects my beauty. Yes indeed, I'm classy, beautiful _and_ strong. No one can resist my power just like no one can resist my charm." Ah, this beautiful English voice was the _best_ thing about evolving. Along with this power of course.

I felt like a new woman, the sheer power coursing through my veins making me fell like a _real_ [Beauty Queen.]

Hmm...why do I get a bad feeling? Like I pissed off someone important enough to have their own theme song?

Ah well, there was only just a bit more to go. Just a bit more until I made my deadline. My deadline for...for what?!

What was it?! Wasn't the real deadline becoming an Adjucha so I could do something?

If that was right...then...it must be this body. A body that couldn't righ-WRITE! Was that it? I couldn't write as a Gillian. Hands or no I was too tall for that. Unless I wrote with steel beams and used tarmac like a book.

So I expected my body to change a great deal? Was it because I needed to write something down? Was I forgetting things?

No, I hadn't forgotten anything. So why did I feel so panicked? I knew everything I needed too. It wasn't like anything important was-

An image flashed before my eyes of a woman. Tanned and stoic, blonde and aqua eyes. A breathtaking beauty that I fixated upon. That woman was...

"Tier Harribel!" I gasped out in a clear voice, no longer constrained by the vocal cords of a Menos Grande. That was it, my knowledge of the future, the painting of the future within my mind was blurring! All the knowledge that I retained seemed normal, so everything would have seemed like Déjà Vu!

I couldn't sweat thankfully, or else I'd have broken out in a full body sweat. Whatever this was, whatever was doing this, was scarily effective. But now that I recalled it a few other memories came back to me. All of the Espada with some abilities listed and all of the Shinigami Captains with some Bankais and Shikais recorded down in my memory. They returned with clarity!

And now...now I did not feel a need to rush. I had gorged myself on the remains of multiple Adjuchas. And taken the spiritual power of all the Gillians and Adjucha that I had met so far. It seems I made in time. And I remembered it. The flaw within the Adjucha life cycle, to be unable to evolve if you played a fight wrong. Because if any part of you was devoured then you lost all capacity to evolve further.

Now I was safe, secure, invincible. Now there was no power lust, only a burning curiosity as to my new form. I was certain that even my mask had changed somehow. The biggest change was that I was back at square one again, with no arms and no legs. A disturbing turn, but I could deal with it. I had already done so in my first stage of the Hollow life cycle.

I looked across the sands and wondered. Now I didn't care about the timeline. Now I only cared about tasting all the spices and sugars that life had to offer me. And what finer sugar was there than myself? Who needed legs? I never understood why people liked THIGHS of all things. Surely I was beautiful without stupid human standards? Wonderful in all my serpentine grace and body? Bah. What use did wondering about that get me? What did I want? And where would I get it? Those were the only things weighing upon my mind, and what did I want most right now?

A mirror.

And I wanted...I wanted to eat human sweets again. I wanted...To live in a city I realised. For all my new trash talk of humans I realised I wanted everything I had before and more.

I never mentioned it, it was irrelevant to even think about. But I do recall a little skylight from which I could look out of. It was my room. A room in an attic that could lead to many nights of catching colds because I watched the fireworks. A life of seeing beautiful sights, a combination of bug wildlife and the fading sun casting its light in just the right way could make my day.

I could open it late at night and see no one walking the street, only hear them from time to time. But it wasn't enough, I wanted to wander a deserted city all by myself, to obey my every unconscious whim, to carry out my every impulse, to find and be shown beauty both new and old. To give me both decadence and refinement. I wanted something like my home again.

I wanted my home again.

I turned around and slithered towards the moon. My mood had now been ruined by my revelation. There was now no more need for a mirror, not until my mood shifted or abated. Only when it felt right would I go to collect one. For now I would reflect upon what I had lost and if I could gain any of it back.

Left unspoken was why I couldn't. That I would be hunted every step of the way, that Shinigami and Quincy, if they were still around wanted my destruction. Any house I would build here would be ruined by any wandering Hollows sub-par manners and beauty, couldn't the ruin the view with a disgusting bug now could I? I wandered towards that distant and bright celestial satellite and wondered if it was even real. If it was a lie like my life has been?

I may have come to terms with the fact my soul was becoming a withered husk by erosion, but that didn't mean I had to be happy about it.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

It was days until my mood had cleared up, days spent burying myself under sand and testing all kinds of movements, reflecting.

Reflecting on everyone and everything I had lost. I could barely remember the place I was born in. All I knew were the sights, the different language and that it was a four letter town. I recall seeing so many blinking yellow lights on a distant hill. I recall a primary school being right outside the window, I went to it when I was alive, and it was the first thing I saw when I opened the skylight. I could faintly remember what was in my room. A secret stash of feminine things that I felt weren't supposed to belong in my room. Why? Was I...a man?

No, that couldn't be it. Even if I do recall owning none of these "bra" things I'm certain of my own gender. How could I be here if I failed to remember such a simple thing? My body in the present spoke for itself, rule sixty-three wasn't applicable to the afterlife. Such a thing just wouldn't make any sense. Yes, this was right, bodies and souls don't change in the afterlife, there was just no reason for such a thing to occur, it didn't make any sense. But the more rational part of me pointed out how fixated I was on this, silently pointing to it and letting me connect the dots. But just because I was suspicious of how desperate I was on this subject didn't mean I was right. I was intense on many occasions on much smaller things. Yeah...I was too fixated on the small things sometimes.

Just because I was so focused on my body didn't mean it used to be different. I knew how I could be. I ignored the lines of constant inquiry my mind kept sending me.

Hmm...that reminds me, should I use Spanish to talk with? No...I'd rather monologue to myself in my first language and not say Pesquisa every time someone asks something.

With all that said my mood had cleared. I wanted to sate my curiosity and find out what I actually looked like. Shinigami or no I would not be stopped on my quest...for a mirror. I opened up a Garganta and slipped through it. Into the human world.

I traversed the darkness. Thinking about my new looks and the road ahead. Aizen was the ultimate destination even when traversing this Garganta. All my actions lead me to his Arrancar and himself. I would reach new heights and kill the man who brought me there.

It was done, I left the Garganta and I looked upon a dark sky with grey clouds and bright lights.

At last...home at last...Back into a comfortable little city.

I took my sweet time. Casting my Reiryoku draining poison across this city, as far as I could cast it out. It wasn't noticeable at all, but every little helped. It cost me nothing after all.

But that was enough, I had to gaze upon myself and see what marvel I had become. I must!

"Onward! Forward! All inferior beings step out of my way! No filthy Shinigami or blind human being can stop me!" My beautiful lyrical voice rung out across this place, the most beautiful thing I've ever heard, but I don't actually recall hearing it...did my voice improve? No. That was the most stupid thing I think I've ever thought of. It's just been so long since I've heard my voice. But a voice as perfect as mine really shouldn't be saying such words, they just didn't go well with my voice. To say such a sentence made me sound insecure, petulant, and inferior. No, I should not demean others without joy behind it.

To insult others simply because I can was a horrendous use of my voice. Yes, every insult must be constructed and executed with class.

And now I rushed. I could feel a Shinigami in town, that was something to be expected, and I completely ignored him. My Serpientes Veneno Inexistente would have completely drained him dry by the time I had finished admiring myself and stolen the best mirror in the shop. He could call more reinforcements if he liked. I was already above a lieutenant of a squad, now only a Captain could challenge me. And I was pretty sure I could feel the moment a Captain appeared. That insane Reiryoku would give them away.

A long forgotten fragment of knowledge whispered about the power limiter that Shinigami came with, but I was not fooled at all by the whisperings of a ghost in my ear.

There aren't any power limiters in the world of Bleach bar the Arrancars and the more powerful Shinigami. Why would Shinigami go out of their way to make one? The words Gentei Reīn was just words in the air. It didn't mean anything to me, and it didn't exist. The thought alone was utmost foolishness, so why did these thoughts keep cropping up? All I had to beware was the Captains, all of the Bankai's from them would demolish me.

Its not as if I wouldn't run. I liked to think I knew my limits and a Shinigami Captain was something I couldn't tackle until I was a Vasto Lorde. And even then...I would hold a glimmer of fear in my heart. It was entirely dependent on the Captain whether I would decide to fight or run. Shunsui was one to avoid. I did not completely grasp the mechanics of either Zanpakuto Release. Even worse I couldn't recall what his Shikai even was. As for Mayuri and Kenpachi? Yes, I'd be forced into running. I knew with perfect clarity what Mayuri's Zanpakuto was capable of. Kenpachi was a toss-up however, having beaten Nnoitra and letting him live. Up until Nnoitra pushed him a bit too far and got cut open in return. Maybe I could have that leniency too.

I smashed the glass open with my swift and twisting body, gazing across the store that didn't have a display window any more. There were no windows, only mirrors that you would hang up in a home, which was the entire reason I came here. But now that I had a chance to think about it, the store window would have served my purposes much better in that regard, ah well. But now that the store was silent I heard another sound.

The Danse Society - In Heaven. I knew that song. But what was a western song doing here? Why was it still playing?

I heard footsteps. There we go, the shopkeeper was still around for some reason, even though he closed the shop.

I turned away and marched towards the items of interest. Shopkeeper couldn't see me, and I had no interest even if he could.

I stared at what I saw and ceased to breath.

I stared at a face that was not meant to be.

I stared at a face that wasn't mine.

I looked into the mirror and saw a gigantic snake. It was incredibly slim for its size, focusing more on length, even if I had the width of a regular human, the two eyes looked tiny in comparison to my size. I looked with a dreamlike intensity at my pigment. Pink, or taffy? My new lightheadedness made me unable to decide which colour I was because the lights were not on. My Hollow mask had turned into a paw shell, just without the anterior wings, those little clumps on the side where the shell began. On the two tips of the mask dangled three beautiful beads that hung from a string.

That string was probably sharp enough to cut a sword to pieces. The beads were probably just tiny wrecking balls that had a thread between them.

The front of my body was also decorated with white scales in the shape of large hearts also placed upon my underside, protecting my soft and brilliant underbelly. There was only one part of me that could decisively be called pink.

The three pink dots under my eyes.

The rest of my unarmored skin was some kind of...pink shade...

Even I could recognise who I was in this deteriorated shape of mine. Even if it was only the dots that made me recognise, just to be sure I studied my mask for anything remotely familiar, even if that was a desperate attempt at ignoring reality. I looked at my shell-like mask and the three beads that dangled off of each end.

I was Cyan Sung-Sun.

Somehow...I had not heard the beads dangle. Somehow, I hadn't noticed them at all.

My face, my name, my body, all of it was going. Even my mind. Again, the tattered and ravaged remains of me had shown itself before me. Reminding me of who I was and bringing a more terrifying truth to mind. That in a way...

My Menos Grande phase was still occurring, and whoever was fighting me...was winning! Not just knowledge, not just memories, but myself! Everything that made me who I was, was quickly being overwritten! After all...just not too long ago...I vowed to never talk like the residue left on this new soul did!

I opened a Garganta and fled, faintly remembering to take that mirror with me.

Even now...I was forgetting things. My knowledge of the future was quickly being overwritten by the dominant soul in this body. There was no doubt in my mind who it was, to take her form so clearly could only mean one thing. That Cyan Sung-Sun was killing me.

Already I was forgetting something, and I didn't know what it was! My mind, this boy who died too early was going to die exactly like he did last time! Without knowing how or why!

The smooth twisting body of the destructor, his killer, was spiraling through the Garganta, towards that home of sand.

At the very least he currently had control over his killer's body. It felt like it always did. An indicator that she was wiping out his identity? This was the body that she controlled for who knows how long, had she erased something within his sense of touch by eating through his soul?

He couldn't tell, and furthermore, he couldn't do anything. He just travelled to Hueco Mundo without knowing why, with no goal or destination in mind.

What could he do? These were his last moments. And just like before, his death would be as swift as it was piteous. With no-one even knowing that it happened. Not even myself.

Reaching the end of the Garganta he rushed. Escaping his door through space and hurtling into the sands, he slithered into it, creating a small explosion by the force of his speed alone. Back in empty sands. Burrowing underground and reeling the net back into myself. Burrowing deeper and deeper into the sand.

I barely remembered to take care of the large and ornate mirror I had obtained. I cradled it to my body, protecting it from the sands. It could practically reflect an entire room. Basically standing from floor to roof, one could stand in front of it and it was clearly meant to be left upright.

I held that large rectangular mirror to my body, I could keep it up, I was big enough. But enough about the mirror, it was time to stop running from my problems, I had to reflect on more important things now.

I was Cyan Sung-Sun and I had no idea what to do. I had to ask why I had this venom of mine when she clearly didn't. The question lasted in my mind for all of two seconds before I had already answered it.

I wasn't her. My Serpientes Veneno Inexistente was my own.

I had merely hijacked her body as it were. Or...I was living-no running alongside a branch. I was running alongside Bleach itself. I was on the same running track as Bleach but on a different lane.

I was living the many worlds theory, I was that tiny, minute difference. A tiny minute difference that had science itself backing it. I had a tail. But I could still disturb that butterfly, crush it, swat it or...bite its wings and inject some venom into it.

I was far back. So far back I had no idea how to utilise my discovery. What did I do? I hadn't met the lovely Harribel yet. What could I do? Talk to Barragan? Look for future Arrancars I hadn't even met yet? None of that would go well. Ulquiorra would likely rat me out, Barragan would be a little more reckless and attack Aizen in a time frame that would be disastrous and would probably and smugly rat me out to Aizen, thinking that Aizen was about to die. Halibel would be utterly loyal because Aizen had rescued her, and I hadn't met her yet and had no idea if she had met Aizen ye-no. She couldn't possibly have met him yet if she...met anyone who would become the Tres Bestia.

I had no way to confirm that last one. And at that I stopped completely, my body unmoving. I slowly came to realise that I might not be running alongside Bleach. I might be two lanes over, two changes or I might even have been shifted to one end of the lane. Did Harribel even exist? Died early? Could Ayon even be achieved now? I was DIFFERENT, Mila Rose might be different, for all I know Funny Valentine was about to beat me up and make me his secretary because his Stand just took an arrow to the knee.

I couldn't help it. I whispered my despair.

"What do I do now? How...How can I continue? I can't kill him or even a single measly Captain...I'm too weak, too-" I couldn't help myself. What I was sensing was too absurd. "What!?"

I couldn't comprehend it. A freaking Adjucha that was on the verge of becoming a Vasto Lorde was coming here and ten, ten! Gillian's were guarding him, and then I immediately casted out my Reiryoku draining poison through the sands and directed it at them and-

"Nani?! Twenty!? Twenty Gillian's!?"

Twenty!? I had to contend with a hollow that was nearly my equal and now I had to put up with twenty Gillian's?! Who even was this hollow? He had to be a main character-his powers were off the charts and-

"T-Thirty of them?"

I adjusted my net accordingly. In fact I was adjusting it to target the Gillians. Even if that Adjucha was almost my equal I couldn't have that many Ceros firing at me. They wouldn't even notice their spiritual particles were being added to mine and that Adjucha couldn't possibly know-

"F-F-Fourty of them?!..." I could barely get it out my lips. That was...too much, I couldn't stand up to this force, and I had no idea why this trumped up little shit was so close to me now. I sensed fifty Gillian's in total and just decided to expand the poison even further to figure out just how many Gillians there were.

And up it went. My poison couldn't drain the power of sixty Gillians even if I gave it a couple of hours. I did not even fathom that seventy Gillian's could all be in the same place at once. And up the number went. Until it ended at a hundred. I couldn't drain that, even if I was given two days to spread my poison over them. My poison worked even slower when spread out so far and having to drain an amalgamation of hollows that numbered in untold hundreds.

Not to mention the presence that held a similar amount of power that was above me, and moving just a little bit slower the closer they got. There was no way to challenge this. It would be like Ichigo coming to Hueco Mundo after performing Kisuke's get Bankai quick scheme. I couldn't fight _this!_

It was the Gillians. That Adjucha changed everything. They'd be stupid enough to stand there and let me drain them but with an Adjucha they had direction. The Adjucha wasn't truly a threat on his own. He'd be capable of wounding me, but a decisive strike was beyond him. No, the only real threat was the barrage of Ceros, the Adjucha was nothing more than a shepherd, aiming to corral me into the barrage.

All I had to challenge this was my Serpientes Veneno Inexistente and my own power. My touch might work too, coiling around someone and biting them would leave my draining tag on them. It was in terms of efficiency leagues better than my Reiryoku draining smog. The bite marks transferred more Reiryoku to me and even had a duplicative effect, the rate of absorption multiplying with each bite. But it was an over time sort of thing. All these Gillian's would still get a shot off if I-wait. What was I sensing?

The answer became clear to me and I abandoned my mirror completely as I burrowed to the right and up to the surface. The reasons for my actions became very clear when the ground beside me was vaporised into nothing. My heart was beating fast, but I still swam upwards. To face the Adjucha that just fired a Cero where I was seconds ago.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

OMAKE:

"Hey, you guys! What the hell did you do to me!?

"What's the matter now?"

"My level went down...A LOT! It's all your fault, isn't it!?"

"But, we didn't do anything to affect that."

A three eyed demon woman spoke up. "That's strange...we used all the right materials, so an accident like that shouldn't have happened." She turned to address her more human foster son. "Hey, Adell. You did get us a real [Demon Lord Nail, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I got it from her. Beauty Queen Etna."

Etna's title is no longer [Beauty Queen]!

"What the!?" Adell exclaimed. "What the hell happened to your title?!"

"Are you...KIDDING ME!? WHY THE HELL NOT?! IS IT BECAUSE I GOT SUMMONED OR SOMETHING!?"

Etna's title has been stolen by another being in another dimension!

"Are you shitting me right now?! Rrgh, what kinda punk did this huh?!"

Adell crossed his arms. "Etna. You know it's not obliged to give the answer to you, ya' know? You'll just have to find out the answer post game."

"Rrgh, shut up! Not only am I at THIS stinkin' level cuz of you but my title got stolen! Hey you! Give me back my title and my levels, or I'm not leaving!"

"What? You can't be serious? You're gonna stalk us until we stumble into a different dimension and find some random demon? Hell, it's not even a demon!"

"I don't freakin' care!!"

Etna is stalking Adell!

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Post Script...

Guest: Be careful on just how powerful you're character is going to become. I realise that skipping to the best parts of your story is tempting, however without building up a proper character and story to go with it, it just becomes a mindless power fantasy.

Insert TFS Vegeta groan.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't THINK I've done anything wrong but...well there is the summary. It sucks ass and I can't think of anything better.

But the way I've done it makes sense. I mean...I will do an Arrancar training montage and flex nonexistent muscles on you readers but...well, I don't believe in hitting the brakes in a racing game.

For _now_ It's a mindless power fantasy for all reasons stated in Ch. 2. But still, I won't have them doing anything crazy. This isn't a Gamer fic, and this isn't Dragon Ball. But I really should clear up what her ability can and can't do. Mary Sue is only scheduled to show in extras around these P.S sections.


	5. Shooting Shark

I must have looked quite haggard as I approached him, I rose slowly from the sands, making my entrance both slow and obvious, for all the good it would do I wanted those extra seconds that my slow entrance and dialogue to provide me with even more Reiryoku. I wanted any edge I could get. Even if it was miniscule and frankly insignificant to the point it was not worth mentioning. Shame the situation wasn't radically different. The power would be beyond my wildest expectations, if only there were more time to act.

I rose slowly enough that it took a handful of seconds for me to get a full glimpse of the man that tried to kill me.

A huge humanoid about Jidanbō's height. He was a gigantic thing covered in grey scales all over with giant yellow eyeballs bigger than my skull, six eyes, one crater sized indent of a nose and a mask stuck in a malicious grin.

I _really_ didn't want to say this, but I could sympathise.

Ugh! Sympathy, god I could feel all my hidden self-hatred bubbling up inside me. Yeah, this guys a cunt. No more sympathy, I don't feel like giving anymore. It feels terrible.

Although maybe self-hate is too strong a word. Intense discomfort?

On top of all those unique details his feet were completely flat, like an elephants, something made for crushing. His arms were made to cut and crush, a mixture of spikes and stumpy mutations, up until his wrist gave way to hands that would shatter bones with a casual swipe, I could see he could barely grab anything at all. His fingers didn't even have fingertips.

Was he supposed to be some cancer ridden Tyrannosaurus Rex?

"Hello there cutie. I was wondering when I'd pass by you."

He stated it like he knew me. He didn't. Like me he was just wandering for the biggest fish in the park that would feed him. I was the next stepping stone for his evolution. Just as he was mine. Such a large collection of souls on either side was enough for either of us to evolve.

Was this the divide? The sheer gap that allowed that talentless waste of meat Grimmjow to kill all other Adjucha Arrancar? Was I at that point now? Was I about to enter legend? Because killing this guy wouldn't be easy at all, it seems like victory would be assured in a one on one scenario. But this man was the first _talented_ Adjucha that I've ever had to face.

I was stronger in every way. There was just no way to win this.

"Oh?" I replied as if nothing was wrong at all. I somehow sounded like I was discussing the weather over tea, despite my imminent death. "And why would you look for me? I don't know any ruffian like yourself, nor do I deal with your sort of rabble."

I accompanied that sentence with some aggressive head movement. An eye roll would have looked disgusting however, so I always held off on those no matter what.

I didn't see him react however, intelligent enough to not fight me on his own without his Gillians weakening me. If he tried to fight me himself he'd die. It was inevitable, he _couldn't_ grab me and would die to me in a straight fight regardless if I drained his Reiryoku or didn't. I had superior Reiryoku and had the perfect control over it. How could I not? Spiritual Energy in any way shape or form was ridiculously easy to understand. All one needed was instinct and intuition, I couldn't understand how Ichigo suffered in understanding his powers early on if it was this simple. But then again...being compared to Naruto so often must have turned him into a scatterbrained tool. Stupidity is infectious after all...

The point was my ability to turn Reiryoku into Reiatsu wasn't impaired at all.

Fuck skill too! I didn't need it! I was a godamn snake! What could I even do with it? And even if it was useless I got here faster than this fat lump of tumors. Who was he to look down on me when he took years to get so strong?!

"I was looking in the neighborhood and found your number sweet cheeks. So how bout' it? You wanna come along with a handsome man like me?" What was this? Recruitment? What on Hueco Mundo?

Was he actually not insulting me?...well...that was new. The yappy ones always did that. Bleach; where every single world was full of violent social rejects.

In my deteriorated state _we_ had to come to a decision. It was a result that _we_ could both agree on. Our fragmented existence was at last aware of the other, and quickly came to a decision as to our present in order to reach an uncertain future!

"And what if I don't feel like going? I don't make a habit of sticking around with those with no manners after all."

...Please be a little rude. I don't wanna be a violent social reject.

Just...give me justification for wanting to kill you.

"Ahhh, that's right I never introduced myself! Call me Zeltopolis. And if your not gonna come with me then I'm gonna carry a piece of you wherever you go. In my stomach! Hahahaha!"

Thanks.

This is unexpected though. I still couldn't grasp why exactly he'd attempt to recruit me. Did he just not sense it? How close he was to evolving? Either way he insulted me and I could hardly suffer that, not from a clearly stupid barbarian with such a stupid name.

"Cyan Sung-Sun. It's a displeasure to meet you. Typically I wouldn't play nice with someone so ill-mannered as you, but you did give me your name." I threw in a few sassy postures here and there. The beads dangling from my mask making such an action rather charming to me.

Thinking of those I gained a new perspective on them. They weren't really beads were they? They were clocks. Six of them.

My death knell...and maybe his.

The three beads made a rather nice sound when placed so closely to my ear, and I have no doubt that although my lips or face didn't move, my eye contact and head tilting must have gotten my insult across perfectly.

He wouldn't realise that I was thinking only about his death. This small moment in time where I knew I had control made me focused. I knew _I_ was perfectly in control, and I felt a little less sick for it.

Morals could wait, I had to kill a man.

We could have traded more lines back and forth while I added centimeters to a highway of power, but suddenly our rather regretful dialogue ended when he tried to reach for my face.

He was slow. Too slow to even touch me, I guess I was the faster one of the two of us, as expected. Ugh, spiritual beings were perhaps the most confusing things to ever exist. Attributes such as speed or defence should be the same, and yet that never seemed to be the case. Differences both huge and minor could be observed.

Ridiculous.

Like the divide between Grimmjow and his Fracción. What would obliterate them wouldn't even mar his skin. How did that even work? How the hell did that weakling Yammy possibly be worth more than Cyan Sung-Sun?!

Hmm...doesn't the answer lie with Aaroniero Arruruerie? Didn't he mention his collective kill count? Was I near that number? Whatever it was? I don't feel like I reached that number, but I couldn't answer that right now, not as long as the situation stayed like this, bit busy dodging hits and analyzing weaknesses.

Need to find that moment where he overreached and left his neck open. Can't let him scream orders for his barely conscious firing squad after all.

I could see that by the speed his arm moved at it was possible that I could coil around it, traversing all the bumps and spikes, then lay across his back to get under his other arm's armpit and swing myself up his chest from there and bite his neck. Binding one arm and getting at his neck was the best I could do considering our sizes, I just didn't have that much tail.

You know...for a guy as tall as a small Gillian I'm rather impressed the environment wasn't destroyed. How remarkably gentle of him.

The Touch version of my Serpientes Veneno Inexistente didn't have to pierce to drain, it didn't need to break skin, it didn't matter where I bit my opponent, it didn't matter what the difference between me and my opponent was. With this ability there would be no repeating what happened with Ichigo's first strike on Zaraki, I could beat Nnoitra without effort using this ability. Attacks would be the one to rebound off _my_ body!

But the bite had to be in a different place every time, I could not bite the neck ever again, no. Now I had to bite the leg, the arm, the other arm or leg, the thighs and torso, sides or chest. Or I could push it further and bite the thigh bone or the spine. Such was the limitation of my power. It abided by a specific set of rules that were random, I couldn't even tell you if the organs unique to Shinigami such as the hakusui or saketsu were viable targets for my poison, nor the vents on their wrists. But the rules it abided by were useless to even know as my venom was simply too powerful. Admittedly it wasn't the strongest power, this Soul Reaper called Yumichika had some power to completely drain Reiatsu. But that's all I knew of his power.

Wait! Shinigami had...once again, ONCE AGAIN-my mind faltered. Unable to recall what I just thought moments ago. All I could recall were feelings of inferiority and hate.

But that's enough of that, I launched myself at him and coiled myself around his arm and went under his armpit. The force I was exerting placed his arm behind his head and locked it there. A crack was even heard as his arm suddenly went straight, the elbow being unable to resist the pressure.

Imagine your arms being in a ninety degree angle upwards, shoulder included. I've clearly snapped something with his shoulder, and probably his elbow too...if he had one.

I moved to strangle his neck with the rest of my body before I was suddenly punched violently by his other arm, dazing me and letting him get one more breath. He screamed in pain, the Menos Grande he brought not even twitching as he yelled out in pain. Good.

One more shot then, I started to speed towards his neck, having recovered from the punch when I felt him move again. My own movements have energized him, as I closed in on his neck, as thick as my body, I felt an unexpected section of his body moving. He was going to crouch?

That was when I felt his knees smash into my spine and stun me.

Shit, it was too late, now I was dazed again and he had the breath to give the order now, and now no matter what I did I was facing certain extinction. There was no chance he would fight me face to face, a brute that acted bigger and better than he actually was due to his rather competent hundred strong help. All I could do was wait for death as I twisted his arm in all ways possible as I still tried to reach for his neck again.

"GILLIANS, FIRE CEROS!"

I could see them charging it already, now it was hopeless and nothing I could do would stop this. My singular Cero would halt it for a few seconds but they would naturally kill me, or this dumb jockey could just toss me into it by sacrificing an arm. I would have to keep firing my Cero as one continuous beam that _would not_ withstand all of those Ceros for long.

Damn it! If only the penalty placed upon my inferior brethren was more strict! Only eating! Only devouring! Only having a part of you be eaten was what kept you away from greatness! An arm being erased by a Cero did nothing to impede you!

"Look at you, some dumb meat head that can't stand on his own strength. You're too panicked to even get proper sentences out of your mouth. Such senseless violence, I'll remind you in case you've forgotten- because you clearly have- that you're caught in the explosion too." I felt only bitterness, but my voice did not reflect that. I said it all with a sense of finality, and I could see no reaction.

"That's fine you crazy little slut! Tryna' bite me!? You're gonna die and I'm gonna live! You wanna know why? Its because I can absorb all these Ceros and give myself a little power boost for a while. Makes me stronger in every way. Do you like my ability? Heheheheh. So long you stupid supine moron!"

I stared at death and slowly closed my eyes. Not a single piece would remain of me and I was going to perish.

I buried my emotions and told myself it would be fine. That it would all be okay.

Supine huh? Yeah, I guess that fit me just fine, I wouldn't be doing anything to resist this, there just wasn't anything I could do. So why would I even bother?

I just couldn't determine why fate would do this. There really wouldn't be anything left of me for him to eat. Was it because this was how I was truly going to die? A death that I'm actually fully conscious of this time?

I could already feel the fragments of my personality and control over this body fading.

Indeed, for just this one moment, we watched it together. Myself and Cyan Sung-Sun. The woman, who now that I thought about it, committed both birth and murder.

I don't think any other body would have let me in. Just a hunch admittedly. So although she was erasing me...I guess I couldn't hold it against her.

So I cracked my eyes open slowly and looked at the red laser created from the combined might of a hundred Hollows and stared. I stared as I watched it charge, and I stared as I watched it descend towards me, to wipe me off the face of Hueco Mundo. And I blinked for a moment.

I fully intended to turn my head around and tear a chunk out of him and gulp it down but...

I stared.

I stared with even more intensity at the sight in front of me.

There was no way this was true.

"This is...a beautiful dream." I whispered.

How could it not be? I looked and I stared.

Although this moment was false hope, my own delusions, I wanted to believe it so dearly that I'd rip my heart out to make this moment last forevermore. The violent belief I had made me tighten across his arm unconsciously. A snap from his arm being heard once again.

I stared at sweet succulent power and its colour. I looked at the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on. I looked at a vision of power, kindness, wisdom and intelligence in one. I could extol her praises and virtues upon a novel of a hundred thousand pages and be found wanting for even more to write on. I could eulogize her only in six million works of art. I could only politely compliment her by sculpting a mountain into her figure, I could only laud her by taking worlds for her and crushing them on her words. I was certain then, that I would lionize her by toppling Barragan. I would idolize her by killing Aizen. I would show my adoration for her by killing Yamamoto. I would deify her by killing this so called Soul King and replace that faceless figure with the visage of beauty itself.

By the end of my quest to earn her favour, to earn her love in any shape, be they her painful affections, or her loving affections or perhaps sisterly affections, I would make sure every living being worshiped her. I would make them spill their blood and values until they learned how to idolize her like I did. And I would speak to them that day, of the day I met her, describing it in great detail, and when they asked for the name of the one they now tribute and love unconditionally, I would whisper into their ear: The Shooting Shark.

That one love song that I adored.

But I would never tire of this love, never give it up or trade anything away that she gave to me.

I stood transfixed as I watched a miracle given to me for no reason or potential reward.

I gave everything a closer look. In order to burn the memories into my brain and never forget it. I looked at that wonderful yellow light standing in the way and how it carved apart the horizon of red with no effort at all. I looked at the beauty that seemingly deigned to save me for no reason.

And I looked upon what I was jealous of the Tres Bestia and Soi-Fon for having.

Somebody to live for.

It was my ultimate desire. I had always dreamed of someone saving me and of then giving my life for them. I distantly acknowledged I was a lot like Momo Hinamori in that regard.

Distance...I was dying here if my own thoughts were becoming distant. My own soul being sent into the stomach that I put so many others into...

But why did I want to live like them? I had never questioned it before, never wanted too and certainly never needed too. Was it because I gave nothing to the world? Was it because I deemed the value of people by who you lived for? Who you surrounded yourself by? Was it possible that I needed someone...because I was just wired that way? Dependant? Perhaps it was because...no...there were too many possibilities. I just knew that my life's wish had been granted.

My consciousness began to fail me. But that was fine, as long as I got to observe and comprehend this beautiful moment.

It was the thing we both fought for.

I observed the woman that had now become my one and only obsession, I looked at the beautiful woman that was named...

 _Tier Harribel._

I was hypnotised. Still watching her deflect all those Ceros with but a swing of that sword arm of hers. I didn't even realise, that she was already standing above me, looking down at me. I distantly realised my power stopped increasing, the Hollow I was coiled around being twain in two, I didn't even realise that I had fell to the ground. Did the two of them even trade words? It seemed far too quick for there to have been any transaction to have taken place.

I looked up slowly, looking into those beautiful eyes. Those beautiful aqua eyes. I gasped as I stared at her.

That smooth Hollow mask with jagged lines for teeth that covered everything but her forehead and eyes, that river of golden hair made me swoon. And that was ignoring the bodysuit she wore. Some sort of faint blue material that covered her stomach and breasts, the sides and underneath of her breasts being covered by...a really useless bone plate actually. Only covered one side of them. Her weapon was like a huge shark tooth, attached to her right arm and as wide as her torso while being taller than it, with six black decals in the shape of gills and a curved spike in the shape of a shark fin near the base of the weapon.

It was a pata. A sword arm of sorts, but perhaps gauntlet would have been the better word.

My lavender coloured eyes looked at her legs, that seemed to be massive thigh high stilettos made out of armour. But the most impressive part of her was the shark tail originating from the back of her Hollow mask. A long thin line with a shark fin and a tail as wide as her weapon.

I was fainting. Or slowly falling into unconsciousness...no. _I_ was losing my consciousness as the body of Cyan Sung-Sun felt only tremendous pressure upon it. And that was not acceptable, I had to know, I had to follow. No...I had to endure the release of her Reiatsu and follow or I would _never_ be worthy enough to help her. But I had to ask a question to my new deific figure that had so suddenly inserted itself into my life.

But...

I had trouble getting the words out of my mouth, I...could not breath properly anymore for some reason. Strange. I hadn't taken a single hit. Not really.

Was this...the power of her Reiatsu? I saw Hollows tremble and freeze when directly confronting me, but was this the effect? I had trouble breathing and moving under her immense spiritual power, was this what it felt like for all those other Hollows to face me? I instantly ignored my own query and asked the most important question that I would ever end up asking.

"Wait! Why...why did you save me?"

She looked down upon my form, unfazed by my question and seemingly not having even heard it. But I knew I wouldn't have to ask again, I wasn't a belligerent idiot like that.

Precious seconds...passing in silence as my soul was eroded by a Hollows stomach acids...but I still had to hear it. Had to know why.

"Come with me."

 _Ahh...so...she'll never...tell me..._

The pained grunts of a dying man, they sounded to him like they would be the last words he ever spoke. It even felt like it. The pulling from within Cyan Sung-Sun's stomach having eroded enough of his soul that he knew he'd never find the reason for her unfathomable act of charity and generosity.

And then she walked off, and I followed in her footsteps as best as I could. I left the shattered piece of a mirror behind and walked past the barren landscape that held only signs of damage. There were no Hollows here but the two of us. The rest were erased from this-no... _her_ world.

But still, even without the request I would have made the choice to follow such a dangerous being of my own free will. One that could erase me whenever she felt like it if I pissed her off.

Why? Why follow someone so dangerous to me?

Because she saved my life.

And that was all the reason I needed. Or perhaps...I should say _we_ when it came to our reasons for following her.

 _It was then that I died._ _This was fine,_ _the whispering soul had thought._ Although I C.N died, _having my personality erased and obliterated,_ _there was still one more hope for the future._ _Although my soul had been overwritten,_ _although I would never rise again, there was still hope._

 _Even as my soul was being slowly extinguished,_ _my dimming soul was relieved and secured with one lone thought._ _Knowledge is forever._ _Although my very sense of self was being utterly erased,_ _it'd take far more time for my foresight to be completely erased._ _Perhaps none of it would be,_ _but as long as Cyan didn't do_ _anything stupid then enough of_ _our knowledge would reach heedful ears._

This was how the soul of C.N met it's end. Finally reaching dormancy, like so many other souls before it. C.N slumbered within the sub-dimensional stomach of a Hollow. Resting in piece with the countless amounts of men and women he devoured. He would never grasp just what he changed, in the future or in the present. For he would never rise again.

Cyan Sung-Sun had took one more thing from him without either one of them noticing. She took _his_ heart. Taking all the adoration and love he had for Tier Harribel and taking it for herself, amplifying her emotions towards their savior.

She had taken her love for Tier Harribel alongside his own. This would be a permanent arrangement. Her loyalty towards her saviour being doubled by his own. But most importantly...her existence was tied to her saviour's.

Cyan Sung-Sun would come to weigh her own life against Tier Harribel's, and would come to find that her saviour's held more weight and value. That was the only natural conclusion. Each time, without fail, she would support Tier Harribel at the cost of her own life.

Ultimately however, the power drunk bravado of C.N had been purged from her. And a more efficient killer had come to rise, with an attitude to bolster that.

Cyan Sung-Sun's callous attitude towards others would serve the world far better than C.N's would have. But that is neither here or there.

Narcissism and loyalty remained, as did misanthropy and a love for all things beautiful. Traits kept by Sung-Sun, even if unknowingly done so.

She followed her past countless dunes, following her for hours until eventually coming across that fancy hole in the mountain that Lady Harribel had made for herself. And as we reached the base of it she reached out with her left hand and pulled away a piece of the mountain, revealing a smooth staircase that was cut to perfection. As I entered she put the large slab of rock back in it's place before leading again, as I waited for her.

I looked at the walls as we moved down the stairs. It all looked like jade to me, but in a land where the sand and trees were white you weren't really surprised bizarre colours. Lady Harribel placed one foot in front of the other, the stairs being so numerous that they fit each one of her feet perfectly. I on the other hand being a serpent just moved down them. There was actually a curve in the staircase, where it curved to the right, revealing the living room proper.

It was exactly like how I remember it. She even had that stone table and that little torch that she somehow got a hold of that was in the anime.

I still couldn't comprehend how she got that torch, or how it was even burning.

And looking towards the stone table I saw something that both surprised me and didn't. As I descended the finely shaped staircase - no doubt cut into its form by my Mistresses blade - I realised I was the first she saved and might even be the reason Miss Harribel was referred to as "My Lady." I suppose I would end up setting the precedent for those two buffoons to use, along with some other appropriate titles to address her by.

"Are you alright?"

She asked it so simply, with no emotion, it was like it wasn't a question, was it naive of me? Did I expect everyone I talk to too wear our hearts on our sleeves? Or our masks? I suppose living so long with chatty fools had made me a little naïve. I was just surprised by her stoicism, I guess, I suppose I forgot that people could be somewhat taciturn and seemingly cold.

"I...y-yes. My Lady. I'm fine." And that was all I could manage in the face of her question and stoic personality. A pitiful few words.

I was still...swept away by what she had done for me. I was still a little speechless and awestruck over her and what she had done that I was still struggling mentally with it.

"My Lady?" Now I could hear the slight puzzlement in her voice. "And why would you call me that?"

"Because you saved me after all. For seemingly no reason and because...I don't know your name...Mistress." I couldn't help it! My tail was tying itself into knots behind me and I'd be blushing if I were a _human_ again.

Ugh, sickening species. And they looked so pretty too! So weak and fragile, yet pretentious and stupid.

She looked me in the eyes as we sat in silence for a few moments. The fire from the torch being the only sound to be heard as she examined me.

"My name is Tier Harribel. You don't have to call me by any title or anything like that, such as ranks. We're partners after all, if you want that sort of relationship. I have no ulterior motive for bringing you here, we're just easier prey for the male Hollows. And so I thought it would be easiest to protect each other in a group."

And I could see her point. She had to put up with being pushed around by Baraggan. And there were a lot more men than women in Hueco Mundo.

And there was still that blue haired cun-

"You...want us to work together My Lady?" My heart had started racing. It was everything I ever wanted and more.

"Yes. If preferable, I understand if you might not want too. And I'm not going to force you to join." It was a calming, soothing statement. She was talking about her power, how she didn't want a mook or a servant. But a partner.

"No! I'll...I will graciously accept your offer, Lady Harribel."

She waited a while before talking again. I got a feeling of faint exasperation from her. But that was ludicrous, so I writ it off as my imagination. "Alright then, so now that we're working together from now on, what's your name?"

"Oh! My name is..."

"What is it?"

How did I answer? In the end I just decided to be as truthful as I could be. I remember having pride in that when I was alive at least. "I...just still remember a small piece of the name I had while I was alive. My name is..."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

 **Post Script...**

The decision to kill C.N here was done once I made a few chapters past this one, it was meant to be a gradual thing. Not too many chapters stockpiled now. Only about four to go.

I just had nowhere to state that other than here. It's actually why I wrote this post script section. But while I'm at it, the "fight" didn't have the arm being broken at first. I never even thought to leverage her weight to break it, just thought it looked cool and added a useless movement when I first wrote it, until I had the idea to do that.

I guess I should also state that her Reiryoku draining ability DOES count towards her evolution. And it's explicitly Reiryoku, nor Reiatsu.

It's a good ability, and you're gonna find out why soon enough...oh, and the final edits to this chapter was made at 3AM.

As for my Guest; Anonymous, don't worry. You'll have to try very hard to offend me. The reason we're not going to the Human World is because we've already done that. Already ate the humans and Shinigami, and since she found them so disappointing, she went to my elementary knowledge of Menos.

Which is you can only evolve by eating Menos. I also won't deny that there ain't much fighting...I just have no idea how to write a snake kicking ass, kind off why I'm rushing for Vasto Lorde. I'm also rushing it because no one else thought of raiding prisons or asylums as far as I know.

I also don't mind the long walls of text. I'm the one writing this story after all, and thanks for the introspection comment, not sure if it's true but I'll take it. The lack of struggle is also because power levels are pure crap. You've heard my gripes about the Arrancars. Some inferiors become stronger than their superiors. For Grimmjow and literally everyone below him to crap all over other Adjucha class Hollows...man...it's like this is Dragon Ball or something.

Speaking of, that speech in italics? I write this on a phone, so I've had to delete it and redo it all or else you just have two asterisks doing nothing.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Deleted section. (And omake?)

Narcissism and loyalty remained, as did misanthropy and a love for all things beautiful. Traits kept by Sung-Sun, even if unknowingly done so. C.N's self-loathing erased by the kept narcissism and aesthetic pleasures, once again, unknowingly done. All the best parts were kept from the parasitic transaction.

In her brief bouts of consciousness, Sung-Sun had shed what she viewed as useless traits, keeping only the ones that would help her. Knowledge was a trait she tried her best to modify. She shaved away knowledge of certain things. Such as the HOW of knowing the future.

But there was one good trait in him she deigned worth keeping. Honesty, primarily the admittance to oneself that horrible events had happened to her, and not to ignore them. But although she tried her hardest...

She did not remember a single moment where she was not in control of her own body.

C.N was completely forgotten despite her best efforts, and although she had begun to change her mind about finally comic to terms with her life being nothing more than anime and manga...she could never get that back, no matter how hard she tried. It was just like with retaining the fact that someone controlled her and took two stages of her life from her, that the person who done so was a pervert, it was just impossible to hold on to for some reason.

If there was one silver lining to the situation however...

Perhaps it was Rule 34. It would be endlessly funny to torment Soi-Fon with THOSE kinds of pictures. Cyan Sung-Sun was just glad she modified some of those memories.

So desperate was she to keep his memories however, that she forgot her own. 'Twas where an instinct to paint rose from.

[Some parts of this aren't deleted, but added. Guess it's also an omake.]


	6. Polka Dot Tail

"My name is Cyan Sung-Sun, Mistress Harribel. The only part of my name that I remember when I was alive are my initials. Which is C.N."

So I was telling the truth in its entirety. One cannot have pride in telling the truth when one lies or omits information after all, that was elementary.

She raised her brow. "C.N? Did you name yourself Cyan after that? In honor of what you lost?"

A fair question. "No, My Lady. Though I'm sure it sounds like it, this is the name that felt most natural to me."

"Natural huh?..." She studied me, her gaze seemed intense, so I lowered my head and listened to the tinkle of my beads. Anime characters typically did this sort of thing.

Wait...what's an anime character? And why do I feel complimented when I consider myself one?

But those thoughts didn't matter as she didn't do or say anything else. She probably just reflected on the lack of memories all Hollows have. I myself only knew of my prior life's initials and nothing else besides that.

"You can rest now, I can tell you haven't slept for a long time. Don't worry, I can, and will, protect you. You don't have to worry about being attacked, I will protect you with all my power, and even my life."

I couldn't understand that sentence. It was an incomprehensible set of words strung into an alien sentence. I could not comprehend it even if I mulled it over for years. And as I stared at her I'm pretty sure that she too had figured that out.

She turned away from me and moved onward to find her own spot to sleep in. And I stayed up for a few minutes longer before succumbing to sleeps beckoning call.

For once I felt...safe.

Only Gillians didn't require any sleep. All others clearly did, even Vasto Lordes. Who I imagined to be free from it due to their awesome power.

This was the only time sleep was a big thing, every other time I just murdered everything in a kilometer of me. Hmm...wait a minute...was that why I had such trouble when it came to finding and eating Adjucha?

No...surely not.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Every other day we went out and did nothing but wander around and beat down the morons that thought it was a good idea to attack a Vasto Lorde of My Ladys capabilities, and myself, the most powerful Adjucha around.

A small voice in the back of my mind worried that she might forbid me from eating. I noticed that she didn't eat, and I recalled how she destroyed that one Adjucha surrounded by Gillians, leaving me with nothing to eat, but it seems she had no qualms about my doing so and partaking in the power of the Hollow evolution cycle.

So I tossed my head back, listening to the beads as I swallowed an arm the size of a puny human. Shouldn't she be eating? It was extremely abnormal behavior from a Hollow, even a Vasto Lorde ate to satisfy the appetite that all Hollows had right? Or was she a unique one?

Quite frankly the only problem was that Lady Harribel eviscerated everything that she came into contact with. All that was left was the Reishi that composed their bodies.

All that attacked were Adjuchas and I slowly came to realise that things did not get easier the higher you were up the chain of evolution. It was even harder to evolve incredibly enough. I couldn't count the amount of Adjuchas that I ate, every single month I ate at least two. And sometimes...not even the full meal.

She stopped me from hunting them down and devouring them.

Fascinating since I barely found Adjucha where I was before. But I suppose it was just the environment I was in, this was a completely new place I was in. Not that a stranger to Hueco Mundo could tell.

I...guess I was just directionally challenged. Even my ability didn't help, so much range after all.

Lady Harribel didn't even attack when she knew I could handle it, she preserved my food and didn't mention my devouring of our foes. Even though she seemed against it and never partook in eating her own opponents. Just destroying them with her blade and leaving noting to eat for herself, or me.

It wasn't long until the first time she let me fight a group by myself that she had any idea of what my powers even were. I took too long in killing them and one of the fools cried out in their final moments about how I drained their power and added it to my own collective. The pest that somehow figured that last part out was spot on in every educated guess of his. Even being aware of my poisonous smog upon him and his merry band of dead people. It still didn't save him, but he unraveled every single aspect of my powers to Lady Harribel. He couldn't unravel their weaknesses, not that it had one, and not that it mattered since Lady Harribel was aware of it now. I knew she would figure it out at some point. If she asked I certainly would have answered truthfully. I just wasn't sure to get over the initial shock of how she now knew.

But as it turned out she didn't have many questions about my power, any potential limits, and questions she had asked about when she compared my own ability to that of others she recalled meeting. I answered back without hesitation, except when she asked questions I could only theorise about. She did not ask many questions out of respect for me. At least, I thought it was respect. It might have been care. Or something else, I couldn't tell.

But one day I did ask a question I already knew the answer to, in order to proposition one of my most useless skills to her. A skill I had thought so useless that I never even thought about it up until now.

"Lady Harribel. Why do you not eat?" I asked in a "naïve" manner.

The moon shone over us. It was a rare moment where we were outside and resting. It was a long day of Hollow killing and we weren't close enough to our home to rest there.

As we sat in silence I found myself staring at her. There was just something calming about...staring at her as she sat there, cool and collected. Like she always was, I closed my eyes and rubbed my body a bit more into the sand that I was relaxing on, rubbing myself against what felt like grains of silk. If she didn't want to answer then I'd just have to find another way to ask in the near future.

Eventually she spoke, making me look up. "I don't want to become stronger by the power I would gain by sacrificing another being. If I can't win by myself...then I'll have to rely on the power of a group."

Excellent.

"I see...my Lady Harribel. There is...a way for me to help you. If you're...interested?" There we go. That will grab her attention.

"What are you talking about?" She finally turned to look at me from her position.

"Its...a hidden feature of my powers Master Harribel. I can take, as well as give. You're right in that my powers are more inefficient than others when it comes to draining, the fact I keep the drained power forever is enough, but I can also give it to others." I stared at her as we were both silent. "Master Harribel. If you desire my power then I would gladly give it to you, My Lady."

My power wasn't efficient at all. But nobody kept the power that they took, and only absorbed power under various circumstances. Even mine did. Taking only *potential* power rather than utilised power.

Serpientes Veneno Inexistente was a power made to combat *Shinigami.* Hollows were much harder to use my ability against.

In a fight against Hollows I had nothing to draw from unless they were caught unawares or didn't put everything into the fight. Against a Shinigami the thing to draw from was rather obvious...the Zanpakutō.

But the average Shinigami was no easier than the average Hollow. No, it was the stronger ones that were needed, without them my Serpientes Veneno Inexistente had a much harder time working. The Zanpakutō Spirit had yet to be fully manifested. Fully realized. And unless it was, drawing from them was much harder and less lucrative. But if they were realized to the point Shikai or even Bankai was *possible, then it was made all the more easier.

It didn't even need to be something the Shinigami knew how to do. After all...

The Zanpakutō had to *give it* to them. The Shinigami didn't need to be found worthy. The Zanpakutō Spirit just had to be mature enough. Hmm...hope I kept the bloodthirsty smile of my face.

Perhaps the greatest thing about Serpientes Veneno Inexistente was that it unknowingly gave me another ability too. The ability to transfer.

It used the very sub-dimension manipulation abilities it used to touch Zanpakutō Spirits and could travel to another and actually donate Reiryoku. So using this, I could-...I stared at her as she looked at me for a few seconds, before she turned back to look at the sands and distant rock mountains of Hueco Mundo.

"No thanks. You keep it."

I reared back. Shocked and speechless until I found the words.

"But, Master Harribel! This is power that comes off of the sacrifice of absolutely no one at all! So why? Why would you not take it!? I'm more than willing so why-"

"Because it is your power, obtained by your own hands. And I know that you're obtaining it for your own purposes. I've seen maddened desperation for powers own sake, and you don't possess that same lust for power." I looked at her in askance. I quite clearly remember my time before being an Adjucha, when I was suffering a bout of madness. "It's because you always look to me before eating those we defeated." Now I reared back in surprise, I didn't notice I even did those things, but looking back on everything, I realised that I faintly remember doing such things, multiple times even, before we did it enough times that I got an unconscious go ahead. And then I tried to recall how long we've been together for me to forget something that should have been so recent in my memory.

Was it...years? For how many? How long was I stuck here in this cycle?

But then...

Where was Mila Rose? Apacchi?

Shouldn't those two goons have showed up by now? I...were they even alive?

My lower body pressed itself further into the sand as I worried over them. Was I just going insane?

I had been having odd dreams lately. Of filthy Shinigami wearing tatty Hollow masks and gaining power. Even worse was the image of some smug blue haired *nobody* with a Zanpakuto, and he had a cracked mask...I shook my head as I focused on the meat of the matter. Mila Rose and Emilou Apacci were always portrayed as being right next to me. Were all these things just dreams? But all those Kido and Bankai I saw...

No...that didn't matter. None of those did.

"Miss Harribel might I...compare the Reiatsu between you and I? As you know the only way I can do this is by casting my Serpientes Veneno Inexistente upon you. Of course I'll cast it only for a second and do my best to avoid taking any-"

She closed her eyes. "Of course. I don't mind. I'll get it back after all."

"Yes, My Lady."

I casted my ability out for a second and compared.

"I see..." I opened my eyes and looked at her. Sitting calm and composed upon the sands.

I couldn't help but hang my head in shame.

She replied. "Yes. You wouldn't exactly be giving me a great deal. Although that ability of yours has likely been active constantly, the divide between Adjucha and Vasto Lorde is just too great. You couldn't even give me a quarter of my own Reiryoku." She opened her eyes to look in the distance. "A thousand Hollows could not stand up to a Menos Grande. Neither could three dozen Menos Grande kill an Adjucha. It sort of goes on like that. Although you've been using your ability to its maximum potential, you won't come near to surpassing the border between Adjucha and Vasto Lorde on that alone." She looked at me through the corner of her eyes. "Although, the thought is appreciated, Sung-Sun. _That_ most of all, is why I can trust you so much."

I ducked my head and smiled. I also...well...I can't blush, but I could try. "A-ah, thank you, Lady Harribel!"

She huffed in turn.

We were silent for a while after, me fiddling with my beads by tilting my head as I puzzled over how to approach what I wanted. So in the end I decided on a subtle approach.

I slithered forward and waited for a bit.

Maybe a bit more? I slithered just a bit more.

I laid my head on the sand and waited. Hmm...yes, one minute would do, that would ease her suspicions. I closed my eyes as I moved my head forward even more, my body shape helping me to do so. I waited for a minute and moved forward again.

"Cyan? What are you doing?" I froze and flicked my forked tongue as I squeezed my eyes shut. Hmm, I was close. "Cyan?" I moved forward a fair bit more. "Sung-Sun? Why are you...?" I started to slowly coil myself. "Sung-Sun? I can't see." I stopped. I moved forward at a much quicker pace and rearranged my body. Making things more comfortable. "Thank you."

I rested right next to Master Harribel on the sands of Hueco Mundo, no longer having blocked her vision and successfully having wrapped myself around her and warming up the both of us. Temperature was a little odd in the land of Hollows.

Which made it an excellent excuse to cuddle up to her...completely, wrapping myself around her in all sorts of...intimate places. But not uncomfortable places. I realised how uncomfortable it would be to have my large body on her breasts or neck, no matter how I longed to do so, to place my head against her welcoming bosom. But...I simply could not do so. It was not a matter of social matters, I got used to premier levels of socialism in this world. The whole kit and kabodle of "I'm gonna kill you" or that whole humorous moment where people traded some lines and got embarrassed or smug. No, my social capabilities were ashamedly stunted after talking to _ghosts_ for so long. No, It was because...

My head is too big.

Embarrassing I know but it was the truth for now. Up until...well, if my dreams were right then that wouldn't be resolved until Aizen appeared and granted me my "Arrancar" form, I wouldn't rip it off since one line in the Bleach anime was stuck in my mind. That the natural Arrancar's were supposedly inferior to the ones created by the Hōgyoku. And I do want the power of a wish making marble on my side, even if only for a moment. Of course, that was dependent on my dreams being grounded in reality.

And I would have it. Especially since I already had all the time to approach this subject with my Master. And although I didn't want to do it, I would leave the handmaidens Mila Rose and Apacci out of the plan. Those two ridiculous hotheads would only ruin everything Master had aimed to achieve, and I wouldn't allow some no good louts to interfere with our plan! Our plan which was!...Not so well thought out at all. I had no idea what specifically he could do. Lady Harribel also didn't actually know about any of this at all either, I had yet to tell her of my weird dreams.

Of course, that was what I would do. If Lady Harribel deigned otherwise then I would follow in her lead. I'd even tell them the full story.

I do remember he saved Lady Harribel from some blue reject that pushed her around without much of a scratch, all with just a single cut. And I faintly recall him blocking Ichigo's Bankai with just a fingertip. A Bankai that seemed to be focused completely on compressing all his power in a fine, small blade, and not just his sword either. It raised his personal power more than most others did, _if_ I recall directly. So much power...damn him! And damn me for being so pathetic that I had to rely on the muscle head hero to take down Aizen.

Truth was when push came to shove I had no idea of what to do at each point in time. Fake Karuka was my gambit. I recall with excellent detail how Ichigo got a time dilated training trip where the "Cleaner" would show. I remember that occurring once only Ichigo was capable of putting up any resistance, since everyone else was gone. As for telling Barragan about this plan...that could never happen. Not in a million years, I knew we might need him, even if I wanted him dead for My Lady to take the throne. But...we really needed his powers if we were to muster a backstabbing attempt that stood a chance. But still...the stupid things he could do if we told him? No, I wouldn't risk it, even if he was my favorite character I would have to spring on the idea of betrayal right when Hachigen Ushoda showed his round tubby face.

Any sooner and...well. The results would be too unpleasant to think about.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

I felt a hand on my neck. Going back and forth on my clean scales, free of sand. Only one could do this, I was being caressed by a tiny and pure hand.

"Harribel..." I sleepily murmured her name.

"Yes, Sung-Sun?"

"Do you have dreams?" She was silent for a long while. I opened my eyes and drank in the scenery, we weren't attacked. Bit of a dice roll when it came to it, my dreams even showed me the absurd image of some tall Hollow having attacked Apacci and the rest of us. Hollows weren't the best at gauging their opponents power as you might be able to tell.

"Hmm, I suppose not. Whatever I might want from this world...I'm confident I'll get it."

Hmm...well _that's_ not what I meant.

"I...see. It's just that my dreams have been a little odd." Better ignore the lackluster response. Huh? Wait, no! This is my chance to woo her! "Of course my dream is rather simple in nature Lady Harribel. I want to stay by your side and make you happy!"

"Oh? And what were they prior?" Damn. But I gazed at the distance as I thought about that, and I found myself being quiet for a good while.

"Hmm, I don't know. I suppose I endeavoured to become strong, like any other Hollow. But...a part of me feels like it longed for this. I don't know how to say it, but I suppose it feels like I've beaten my cynicism by meeting you. Yeah, I suppose I wanted to meet someone like you."

She looked at me before closing her eyes in what seemed to be humor. "I see. I've never been so praised before, I'll take those compliments to heart Sung-Sun."

"Ah, please do My Lady!"

She opened here eyes and made contact with mine. "So, you want to tell me about your other dreams?"

"I don't think I did dream before, I get the feeling it's a recent thing. But they have been very unusual to say the least. I see you from an odd perspective, and you're different."

"How so?" She raised her brow at me, and I tilted my head down in thought.

"Your mask is gone. At least, a fair part of it. Only the mouth and jaw seems to be covered, and you're dressed differently, with a Zanpakutō of all things."

"I see...odd dreams. Are you imagining what we'd be like as Shinigami?" I looked up at her.

"Well...I haven't given much thought to it, but I imagine two others are working for you along with me. I also imagine what the capabilities of other Zanpakutō might be." I couldn't help but look away from her in embarrassment. "But...now that you mention it..." Oh god, I really couldn't help but think about it now.

Wouldn't it be grand?! The Fourteen Court Guard Squads! With _THREE_ Vice-Captains in a love triangle, all vying for their commanders love! Yes, and little Momo would be scared, and I could lord over Renji and _smash_ his face in the dirt and take his Bankai clothes. Not only that, but I could _drink!_ I could have something other than blood, meat, and bone for breakfast! I could molest Rangiku Matsumoto herself with these _fine hands and slender body!_ And Rukia! Just thinking of how that loli will act when she sees _us!_ _Us fully grown women!_ Ohhh...and the Captains. Maybe I could do up Mila Rose's hair like Zaraki's! And Emilou would be the bitchiest law enforcer around, trying ineptly to work with her betters in the Second Division!

Yes! If I had hands, I would be doing something! Salute! Raise the fist! Beat a bitch! Just imaging all the cool stupid shit that could happen made me smile! Curb stomp a vampire today! Watch Shūsuke Amagai get bodied by Emilou and her just as inept colleges. And maybe even date Izuru! I'll pass men in my love life, but I think a dour and _strong_ man like Kira could be an exception. And then stitch-for-face would get all jealous and try to copy him to woo Rangiku, and we two can laugh at him as we _drink!_ Oh fine dining here I don't come! But picturing Emilou stuck in the boonies and bossing people around in some shack in the middle of nowhere has appeal.

Shame none of it's real.

But I knew what I'd be dreaming about for a _long time to come..._

My Mistress started to speak as I ended my daydream prematurely.

"...They say three's a crowd. Is there any particular reason for the specific details? I already made it clear that I don't want to succeed on the _death_ of others, but with _others._ "

She looked so spectacular. She hadn't even moved, but the words she said made her seem...Godly. She was like a solemn painting of royalty. I stared without shame for a few seconds, drinking in the words and thinking of her. Eventually I gathered my wits and recovered enough to speak. "Ah, well, it's just that my dreams are so substantial. They show me with arms and legs!" I pushed my face towards her a little to emphasize that. "And you even fight a pint-sized Shinigami Captain!"

"Is that right?" She gave me one more stroke across my head.

"Yes, and his Bankai uses ice to attack. It's rather gaudy."

"Oh yeah?...Anything else?"

"Well...nothing of great importance I suppose. My dreams are like an out-of-body experience. I'm always forced to watch something at a specific angle, and it comes across as some kind of show. Mostly in the way people act and how it looks."

She was silent for a while. "I see...is that all?"

"Well...I guess I'm just concerned. It feels less like a dream, and more of a premonition. And...there's this unpleasant feeling in my stomach, like a soul is writhing about. I guess it's just too consistent, nobody has their dreams be consistent after all. All the details are the same, details shouldn't carry over to another dream."

"I see." I turned to look back at the horizon, but dunes of velvety sand blocked my view. I charged a Cero as she spoke. "So you keep the same characters and powers? That is unusual." I fired. Watching the brilliant pink beam vaporize the horizon.

"Yes. Tōshirō Hitsugaya , Byakuya Kuchiki, Soi-Fon, Kenpachi Zaraki, Unohana Retsu, and an odd duo; Aizen and Gin Ichimaru. Each of them is a Shinigami Captain, although...I'm not sure about those latter two."

"Oh?" I stared at the distant Cero I fired off, turning my gaze to the tidy horizon once it escaped my vision. "And you recall their abilities? Sung-Sun, do you mean to tell me that you dream the future?"

I turned my head to the side, trying to escape her gaze. I felt too embarrassed to look at her when it was said like that. "I guess. It's just that I remember them like a slideshow. All these little details I know about people I haven't met yet. Like Kenpachi taking hours to do his odd hairstyle, and how he doesn't have a Bankai but kills someone called Nnoitra Gilga. How you seem to trust Aizen, only for him to strike you down. How a Substitute Soul Reaper called Ichigo kills Aizen. How we all become something called an Arrancar and gain a Zanpakutō, two others seeming to share my position called Emilou Apacci and Franceska Mila Rose. I even remember Barragan dying!"

I was confused by the sudden look she sent me. "Barragan? Die?"

"I remember it was Kidō that did it to him, some orange glow within him. I think there was something in it, but I can't recall."

"...What did Barragan look like?"

"Like a skeleton with a purple cloak and massive axe, why?"

She stared at me intently. "You've never seen him before..." The atmosphere seemed to change around us. "And yet...you described him perfectly apart from the axe. Who else Sung-Sun?"

And so I told her everything and felt the weight lift from my scales. Shedding my knowledge felt as good as shedding my skin. I told her everything from my dreams.

Every Captains name and the capabilities of their Zanpakutō, every Arrancar and what their Resurrección could do. Not a complete list, I named every Captain, but had no idea what Unohana's Zanpakutō did, along with some others. But at least they had the either the first or second release being known.

I also couldn't name one Captain. That's fine though, if I couldn't remember him then they couldn't be worth remembering at all.

I also listed every..."plot point" that I could recall.

Ichigo and Aizen's fight, The Hōgyoku and it's many properties and barriers, first being Rukia, second being a barrier by Kisuke Urahara, and third being Aizen himself. He absorbed it and cherished it, making it's capture by us impossible until he died.

I explained the timeline of events as my limited dreams told me. Ichigo Kurosaki and his relevance in the dreams that I had, Ulquiorra Cifer's Second Resurrección, and more. But then she interrupted me.

"Wait." I stared at her for a few seconds before she got her composure back. "Back to Barragan...was he able to hit his attackers?"

I puzzled over my memories. The answer was yes, but...that was Soi-Fong. Why would this matter? "Yes, but...it wasn't the Kido caster that got hit, he was chubby and had a stupid haircut."

"I see...it doesn't matter if it was him that was hit. Doing that would only kill the caster, so he must've...I see...so Baraggan isn't invincible against his own power." My eyes widened at that, I went to get a word in before she continued speaking. " _How quickly the tides turn._ Well, as long as I deliver my tainted water to him then I can kill him..." She looked straight to the ground, seemingly doing so despite her amazing chest. "How important is he Sung-Sun? Can we kill him now?"

"Well, I know he wants to kill Aizen. As I recall, Sōsuke had forced him to co-operate with him by threatening him."

She mulled over those words before speaking up again. "So he'll fight for us against the man that betrays me." She stared past the valley of that amazing, luscious chest of hers. "Then I'll need to do something, but what? He'll die the moment he gets touched by his own power. So how do I?...Sung-Sun, what's the time frame, how long do we have before all this happens?"

"I don't know." I put my head down in shame, disappointing My Lady was never a good feeling. And I began to wonder if I could have a chest like that too.

I heard the sand shift, the tail decoration she had sifting through the sand, I looked up and saw her looking at me. "Are there any markers for what's happening?"

"Only when a loser attacks us at our own base, then Aizen appears and tries to earn your loyalty and trust by saving you."

"So that's why I'd trust him...Sung-Sun, would you have told me someone would attack our home if I disregarded this?"

I could feel my "brows" furrow.

Hard to describe what your "eyebrows" were when you were a giant man-eating snake.

"No?" Confusion was audible in my voice. "Why would I?" I tilted my head without moving it. "You'd deign it to be a dream, and if you believe it to be so, then it must be a dream."

She looked down with frustration evident on her features.

I hoped it wasn't my body language that made her that way. Without the typical facial features I had to make sure to curb my typical behaviors, such as not moving my head whilst tilting it. To anyone other than a snake who could understand the move, my gesture could come off as insulting. When it came to Lady Harribel's additional helpers I'm not so sure I'd hold back on my body language though...

In truth it wasn't body language. The truth was Tier Harribel wanted to admonish Cyan Sung-Sun. But found she couldn't do so, she could see herself disputing it. Besides, it would be mildly hypocritical to do so considering she trusted Aizen. But Harribel was unchanged in her stance to life despite this revelation. Half-heartedness wasn't something she'd ever do, even with the knowledge of what may have been tucked away in her heart, she would still follow her principles even if it brought her pain.

Harribel spoke again. "Sung-Sun, does this guy have a cracked mask when he attacks us?"

"I think so? I didn't really bother remembering him. He was just an ugly blue eyesore, so I forgot him."

"I see, then I suppose since I've become a Vasto Lorde then I better become an Arrancar." I prepared to slice my mask off when I heard her yell.

"Wait! Stop! You can't do it! There are...benefits to having Aizen turn us into Arrancar." I lowered my Pata.

"Is that so? Alright then." Her fist clenched. An Arrancar attacked her huh? No. Not just her, but her allies and comrades. Cyan Sung-Sun, Franceska Mila Rose, Emilou Apacci. All people who decided to work with her out of the goodness of their heart, assaulted by this man.

There was so much to plan for. "Sung-Sun. Who's the strongest?" She knew of names and abilities, but perhaps there was something more solid.

"Coyote Starrk, then Baraggan, then you, and Ulquiorra. All in that order, with six people below you all."

I looked at her, her Hollow mask still fascinated me. It was a rare one that didn't cover the face at all. "All in that order? Starrk is stronger than Baraggan and so forth?" Interesting. Who was Starrk?

"Yes, you're all numbered. One through ten I believe. Nnoitra Gilga is the fifth Espada, Grimmjow being the sixth, Zommari being seventh, Szayelaporro Granz being eighth, Aaroniero being ninth and some pitiful idiot called Yammy being in last place."

I responded. "Are any of the one's below me any threat? What are their chances of defecting? Ulquiorra and Starrk especially?"

Cyan seemed to puzzle it over. "Ah, no. They're all quite pitiful, like Shinigami graduates in comparison to you. But I know Ulquiorra is a hard-line supporter of Aizen, at least, it seems to be that way. He did keep his second form a secret. And Starrk is there for friends, Convincing him is possible, but I don't know how you'd do it. I think there are cameras in Las Noches too. I know it can be manipulated in some fashion after Aizen gets his hands on it."

Her fist gripped the sand underneath her. So many avenues of betrayal cut off, and direct confrontation was suicide. If Aizen could drop her in just a single hit when she was the third strongest of these "Espada" then it was hard to say how all of the Espada would fair against him even if they worked in perfect harmony, of course, looking at Sung-Sun...

Hmm...It wouldn't be good, or honourable for whatever the latter mattered. But three more Vasto Lordes would help. And maybe there was a situation he might be vulnerable.

"Sung-Sun. Is there anywhere he'd be vulnerable? Is he surrounded by enemies who can resist him at any point in time?"

And does it even matter? Resisting Aizen's Zanpakutō was a daunting task to undergo. But that wouldn't stop her.

And that was when Tier Harribel finally pieced together the significance of Karuka Town. Home to a last resort, and where Aizen would be surrounded by Shinigami according to Sung-Sun. But the Substitute Shinigami, the last resort, was all Harribel was focused on.

Humans lived short lives, and if she could find Ichigo Kurosaki quickly enough, then that was all she needed. But was it better to wait? After all, it'd be far more convenient to have more backup to ensure that stealing Ichigo Kurosaki's power didn't come with any grave costs. Finding and introducing Ichigo Kurosaki to Cyan Sung-Sun's Serpientes Veneno Inexistente would greatly accelerate her partners evolution.

 _"Only we would incur casualties from this. But there's not many_ _in the human town_ _capable of stopping us._ _And it may serve us well_ _to know our future_ _enemies...yes_ _, we'd_ _need all the help we can get,_ _Ichigo Kurosaki can recuperate. If he has the power_ _to destroy not only the_ _Cuarto Espada, but Aizen too, then we'll need Cyan Sung-Sun_ _to take all his_ _potential power while he's still young. But still...Kisuke Urahara complicates things._ _If two former Captains and supposedly strong test_ _subjects are there...he may bring down the Soul Society. Or the Captains_ _may find out if we make too many repeat visits. One is dangerous enough, more and the stronger ones will notice and most certainly fight us._ _Aizen's interaction with us may already change_ _after the first visit._ Her headache was only just beginning. _"Aizen, two ex-Captains,_ _these Visored,_ _and potentially all the Captains_ _of the Soul Society_ _finding and catching us. No...we may in fact, beat them. If the power obtained from Ichigo Kurosaki_ _is enough...but what could then result from that mad spiral?..._ "

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Morning" must have came if I was awake. Mistress wouldn't wake me if time didn't pass enough to make it the next day.

"Sung-Sun. I wanted to talk to you about the plan. I don't think just fleeing to Hueco Mundo is going to work."

"Yes, My Lady."

I patiently waited her follow up question or answer. Suddenly departing to Hueco Mundo when events progressed enough in Karuka was the best bid to live. We could tell Mila and Apacci. Could also let Barragan die to boot. Our deaths weren't necessary for Ichigo to get his new power in that tunnel after all.

"I think we should find these two Fraccion you mentioned me having. If they were weaker because they were Adjucha's before becoming Arrancars then we've got to fix that. It's better than doing nothing."

She was quite right. Empowering them didn't even factor into my mind. It was an improvement over my own. But we'd have to orchestrate something to make those two useful. But what? We might take too long if we tried doing things the regular way, Tier wouldn't abandon her morals or principals so easily after all.

"Yes My Lady, but turning those two dolts into Vasto Lorde's will be a burdensome task. Even for us two."

She gave no response. It's sort of what I expected, the lack of response. An imperfect plan for an imperfect situation. But we could make do. We weren't the smartest people, nor were we the strongest. But where we failed ourselves, we had each other.

We had the power and safety of each other to rely and depend on. No one could tear that apart. Our bonds were something even Aizen couldn't tear apart.


	7. Blue Kingdom

We decided to put off going home, the likelihood of Franceska and Emilou just loitering around our house was incredibly unlikely. She found me after voyaging to see new lands after all, I've never even seen that place again. I'm no cartographer, but I can tell you we've moved a long way since Lady Harribel picked me up.

I used my ability in brief pulses in order to find them quicker.

My ability seemed to be a Pesquisa if you took it to the next level. I always knew of the comparison, but now only the sensing part of it mattered. I watered down my Serpientes Veneno Inexistente so as to take as little from my master as possible. But still, each pulse made me frustrated for just a moment. I'd always take a sip from the ocean when all I wanted to do was sit back and admire it, not become it.

I wasn't a swimming kind of snake. Hm, glad I met only the one, such queer people to talk to.

We traveled as quickly as we could. But even then I didn't move as fast as the shark. I couldn't Sonido after all, which hampered everything. But Adjucha were still fast. It was just not all together efficient. Shame you could only Sonido if you had two legs.

But we were out searching, and we wouldn't go home until we found her. We ranged for days, sleeping when my ability told us nothing was near.

But these...stupid _filthy_ cretins! They kept popping up after we slept!

These scum _dared_ to wake Lady Harribel by dirtying her magnificent body by striking her.

These lowly beings made me seethe. Subhuman retards. They couldn't even gauge power! The most simplest abilities in all of Bleach!

If only I could strangle them to death and break every bone in their body, and they _had the audacity to scream for help!_ As if they deserved any. Sadly, My Lady's generosity knew no bounds and she spared her more mentally inefficient citizens. Why was beyond me, so I complimented her for it.

Even if I was irked when they ran away without saying anything to her!

Especially when they screamed as they turned around and saw me charge my Cero to destroy the ungrateful wretch.

Why Lady Harribel had me kill none of those interlopers was beyond me. Perhaps they'd learn. They'd better or I'll break them...

Speaking of which, teaching someone as brash and uppity as these two was what haunted me. Maybe haunt is a strong word. I knew it wouldn't be too hard, but even a single second of disrespect warranted a broken organ. Or bone if the offense was light. It's just a shame Master Harribel wouldn't let me actually administer such punishment.

That said, if Lady Harribel ever ascended to ruling Hueco Mundo, as she should do, then she'll need someone ruthless. In the case any resistance against her rule comes up then one of us will have to get our hands dirty. Emilou and I would be best for such interrogative duties. Mila Rose could then execute them if she wasn't busy organising an army.

Hmm...thinking of the future puts some spring in my step. The irritatingly slow but inevitable ascension of Tier Harribel to Godhood had so many chances and opportunities for me to show them the light, _all these nonbelievers will know in time..._

A blissful sigh could be heard from me, I didn't mean to release it, but my joy was too great.

"What has you so happy Sung-Sun? I'd have imagined that you'd be irritated rather than content."

"I'm happy going anywhere with you, I'm only irritated because those weaklings had the audacity to scream next to your ear after they broke their arm hitting you."

I think I could hear her snort. No? There has to be a more eloquent word for that noise, only a beast like Emilou or Franceska could snort. Harribel just...made a short sound through her nose. That's all.

Huff? God no. That sounded too ugly for Master Harribel.

"I thought you'd have been over that by now."

"No My Lady, I've remembered each and every one of them, masks, skin patterns and colour, and the high pitched voices. As lamentable as the latter is."

"I didn't realise you hated sound so much. From what you've told me these two are rather talkative. Can you handle that?"

"I'm sure I can keep them quiet before they can get on your nerves. Besides, they're not as deranged as those other Hollows, so they're actually important to listen to from time to time. Besides, they're going to help you whether they like it or not, so they're voice or demands aren't going to cause much of a headache."

"Don't force it Sung-Sun. We're not criminals or villains."

"Yes, yes, ask them nicely. They'll join regardless of how we ask them, as inferiors ought to."

I could hear a sigh from beside me. Funnily enough, I'm not sure if it'd be dramatic to claim it could probably destroy a house. I honestly have no idea. I'm pretty sure it shouldn't, but after all this power who could tell? Cement would probably feel like soap at this point, and for all I knew, the sand here was probably harder than gravel for a paltry human.

But I did get the message conveyed in that sigh. _Let me do all the talking Sung-Sun._

A thought I could get behind. As expected from someone who wants to get their hands dirty in their prisoners guts to hear their secrets, diplomacy wasn't my strongest point.

Hm. Perhaps I should have clarified my own position in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Ah yes, Second Division Lieutenant. That would do me excellently! And Mila would be in the Kido Corps! Stupid dog would be staring at her hands in frustrated befuddlement. Amazing...

"So how do you feel about this journey? Is it too taxing on you? We can stop at any time." I snapped out of my daydream and replied.

"I'm quite alright My Lady. I'm thinking about placing architecture here."

I could hear her hum in interest. "Oh? I never knew you held such an interest in architecture Sung-Sun. What are you thinking of?"

"I suppose I'd have to place one of those night clubs around here. Not my sort of scene, but I suppose the populace ought to relax. Crystal Castles, some other eccentric stuff I remember hearing and I suppose I'd have a fair bit of it done. Even if it's never used, the practice and experience could be rather good for me." Drinks didn't do anything to us as far as I'm aware and a pole and a woman might make the crowd way too rowdy to put up with. Hm. Boy, forgetting how I lived before really did a number on me, can't tell if it's a nightclub I'm building or a gentlemans club.

"Hmm. Interesting that you'd build it despite never seemingly having never been in one." She looked to her right, looking straight at me as she spoke. "I'm not off with my assumption am I?"

"No, you're not, I just can't think of anything else that would fit this bit of land any better. I've also forgotten every social interaction I've ever had when I was alive. And the more proper structures should be clustered fairly close together. An office can't go here. There's just nothing important here."

She hummed, I'm sure she came around to my kind of thinking. There wasn't much in terms of land here, just two gigantic dunes. Middle of nowhere, yes, a very subtle location with barely anything of note here except for the fact we were walking in the valley of two huge hills of sand. Your entertainment can't be close to anything important, and no buildings past a certain point.

"Yes, I agree on all counts. Hueco Mundo has it's beauty because it's barren."

Ah, did I talk out loud? I dunno, and it doesn't matter really. It's about that time to taste the air and the people.

I stopped for a moment and flared my ability. But then I held it for longer than just a moment. A cluster of Adjucha. One darting forward to the one in the center. I looked to the top of the hill on our right. Hmm. Couldn't quite see the top of it, but I'm going to guess they weren't at the top. I cancelled my ability.

"Lady Harribel, I think there's a group of Adjucha on that hill to our right. They're probably killing each other." I looked to her. "Shall I kill and eat them or shall I do it in the wrong order?"

"Let's go!"

She used Sonido to get up there as I followed her using good old fashioned serpent locomotion.

We reached it in a matter of moments, my greater than normal amount of Reiryoku bolstering my speed. The sound of animalistic grunting and more human sounding taunts reverberated throughout the area we had found ourselves in. And I was struck speechless by the scene and sheer coincidence but still moved to save her.

"Wait."

And so I stopped. Waiting and observing with Lady Harribel as Mila Rose roared at the Adjuchas surrounding her, I watched her bleeding frame stand on top of a rock proudly, screaming defiance, and knew something that her supposed predator's didn't.

She was more trouble than she was worth. Just look at her, how many had she killed already? Three from the looks of it, and she would go on to mutilate so many more.

Impressive. I hadn't realised that she was actually competent.

"My...I thought she'd ride on our coattails but she's actually worth something. Do we step in Master? I doubt her miraculous bout of competence will stop her from being mutilated? Or are you observing her fighting capabilities for now?" Either would be fine with me honestly. And although this is getting off track, I must state how much I loved myself right now just...

LOOK AT ME! I tilted my head at her and smiled...as much as I could. And my mask, ohhh, my mask...it was beautiful. And the tinkle of the beads I could hear with each head movement. Within a single night I had actually mastered all head movements solely for the beads. Done at a distance hopefully far enough that Tier hadn't heard any of it.

I knew how to move my head to keep them quiet, make them loud, I knew it all. The beads really were that magnificent. And they could collapse a mans ribcage if I wanted it.

God, it never got tiring knowing how strong I was in comparison to someone else. For my accessory to kill someone...yeah, I've done something right in this life to get that strong.

"I want to observe. At the first sign of real trouble we'll move in and save her."

I yawned at the deceleration I admit. I was already feeling pretty tired as a matter of fact.

"Hmm...Mistress might I rest for a while? I don't believe I have any interest in a vulgar simpleton like her. I'll gladly step in the moment you ask of it My Lady but..."

"I get it. Rest now. I'll stand guard over you both."

I smiled at her declaration and settled down into the cozy sands that were responsible for lulling me to sleep. I know the scales on my back were reflecting a dull white thanks to the moon as I coiled up in my sleep. Mistress hadn't even the chance to intervene before I succumbed to slumber.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

I slept for what felt like quite a good time. Must have been this way since Mila Rose was injured. Her Majesty wouldn't ever make us uncomfortable if she could help it.

I did indeed wake to find that time had passed. There were no corpses to look at, Mila having eaten them, and it was never easy to eat a hollow no matter what you were, just too much to eat no matter your species.

Hmph...perhaps I should take care of my deep sleeping habits? No, they were alright as they were right now.

My Lady looked asleep but I could never tell with her. I wanted her to rest as peacefully as possible. My eyes glided over to the third largest of us all, finding her in a much better condition than she used to be in. I also found her wide awake, which more than likely meant Lady Harribel was awake too. Her attention was on Lady Harribel with an intense focus until she noticed my movements, her eyes went over to me and narrowed.

"Hey! You're that Adjucha that stood by and did nothing!"

It was then I understood the nature of the Tres Bestia's relationship with one another. "Ugh, do you have to yell about everything? All you seem to ever do is roar like some dumb animal."

"What did you say you bitch?"

"My, your mouth really is like some sort of garbage compactor isn't it?"

She reared back and gasped. Quite visibly offended. "You little bitch! How dare you! Are you trying to start something?!"

"It wasn't me that was trying to start anything. That was all you, in case you've forgotten. Did those runts try kill you because you opened your mouth?"

"Grrrr, you're just asking for a pounding you know that!"

I deliberated over my answer for a second.

Did I want to say maybe and mean it in a sexual way? I mean, tall people were already my thing, and I knew how tall and...muscled she could be, it was practically a fetish at this poin-oh...yes, that could work.

"Maybe, but not by you." She reared back, clearly incapable of handling any innuendo. "Just look at you, you'll get your wretched ape hair all over my fair skin. A lady like myself would never settle for an overgrown stray like you."

"Bitch!" What was most amusing was seeing her mask actually change into a snarling face. Would have been real funny to hear metal screeching too.

"Stop it you two."

"Yes, Lady Harribel."

I think I wasn't the only one surprised when mine wasn't the only voice to say that.

We both looked at one another, but not a word was exchanged.

"Alright, since you're both in top condition, we can go back now." It seemed like Her Majesty wanted to say more, but she seemed to exasperated to speak anymore.

This was actually because of how quickly Mila Rose had ended up following Sung-Sun's habits. Tier had no idea how this kept happening and began to wonder if it would be a bad thing to hope Emilou wouldn't so easily follow in treating her like royalty.

Eventually we decided to walk back to the house in the mountain that we had going on. I always kept forgetting to ask about the torch and how My Lady carved her home from the stone.

And this instance would be no different. My natural sleepiness combined with self admiration pushed those very smart questions to ask right out of my mind. That and Mila Rose kept arguing with me. But that banana eating ape woman never won a single one.

"Hmph, I'm amazed Lady Harribel was gracious enough to keep a handicap like you around Sung-Sun."

"Yes well I'm better than you by a fair margin kitten, so perhaps you ought consider picking a different kind of fight serf?"

"Surf? What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

I sighed. "How hopeless...at least you'll make a good battle monkey. To be honest if I had to show you how to respect Lady Harribel you'd be more trouble than what either of us ought to bother with."

"Hey! I'm not even a monkey you idiot! I'm a proud and noble lion, you treacherous little snake! Besides, what the hell do you do anyway?!"

"Hmph. I don't recall any lioness with a _mane..._ feel like explaining that one? And besides, you hair is atrocious, and I take care of anything Lady Harribel might need." I tossed my head to the side. Goodness...winning really was bothersome when you only won. No wonder Aizen handed Ichigo the keys to victory...even when that was on accident.

"Ha! And yet you haven't told me what a single one of those things are! And my hair is the greatest thing there is! Don't you insult it ever again!"

"It's quite simple really, I take care of whatever she might need at the time. Someone to keep her warm at night, someone to make sure no one disturbs her, someone to take care of pesky enemies. Whatever she needs me to be at the time. Besides, I'm not wrong, if you feel so strongly about your hair then why don't you take care of it?"

"WELL IT'S NOT LIKE I CAN WITH FOUR PAWS NOW CAN I YOU BALD BITCH!"

I gasped aloud. "How dare you!? Don't you ever bring that up again or I'll skin your filthy hide!"

"You and what appendage!?"

"You little wh!-"

"Ladies."

"Yes Lady Harribel."

It was a minute of us eyeing each other up until I finally put that little _trollop_ in her place. "I'll forgive you since you also serve Her Majesty, but if you keep shouting like that you're going to give her a headache. I suppose I should also tell you that when we go out ranging like this that Her Majesty's mentally challenged test subjects interrupt our sleep. So one of us should stay up so that those talentless rejects don't touch us."

"Ha, you think you can boss me around? I don't know who you think you are girly but you can't just go bossing me around like that-"

"Yes yes, just remember to stay quiet and drag any victims far enough away so we can't hear them scream. If that means behaving like a circus animal then do so."

"Why you..."

"We're here."

"Huh?" As expected, Mila Rose displayed that gorilla like stupidity of hers. Though, I suppose to any unenlightened individual it just looked like a mountain. Lady Harribel went and uncovered the entrance, smoothly pulling out the gigantic slab of rock and revealing a smooth marble staircase. "Woah..."

"Impressive isn't it?" I was sorely tempted to tell her to not dirty it with her hair, but Harribel would definitely admonish me for that.

"Yeah, did you guys make this?"

I squinted at her. Hmm...guys? What an odd phrase to say when we were all women. Or was that just me?

"I built it. Make yourselves at home. I may not have much, but what's mine is yours."

"Lady Harribel..." Mila gruffly called out. I guess I could understand. This kind of charity from Hollows was unusual to say the least. An oasis in a desert was the most fitting descriptor for her charity.

"Hm, I see you know how to show gratitude Mila Rose. I...suppose you aren't that bad." Saying that I followed in my Mistress's footsteps, leaving Mila at the door with those words. Oh. "Don't forget to close the door. And don't dirty it with the blood of those losers from before."

Yeah...you and what appendage, _bitch._ Better start using that mouth for something useful for once.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

We were gathered in the living room, resting at the stone table. The only rock I've seen in Hueco Mundo that was actually white. No chairs sadly.

Lady Harribel had just finished telling Mila Rose about the situation we were stuck in.

In regards to the future that is.

Had no idea she'd do it so quickly, I would have waited for at least a day but I wasn't Lady Harribel.

"And that's that, I can't make any guarantee that you'll live, but I'll give everything I can to make sure we all make it through this." Tier ended it there.

I observed Mila's stunned stupid expression and found that I couldn't really blame her. And as loathe as I was to admit it, I couldn't fault her if she acted out and forgot who she decided to serve. This was fairly unbelievable after all. A new realm of power beyond Baraggan and Sōsuke having killed Lady Harribel without any difficulties despite having the new power. It was all hard to chew on for a regular Hollow.

All was silent for a long time. Harribels unspoken offer being left for her to take, she could leave and we wouldn't begrudge her. We waited for Mila Rose to say something, it was about half a minute before she finally spoke. "I...I don't know about all this, but if I'm going to get more power from this...then I guess I'm okay with sticking my neck out for you two."

"Hmph." I tilted my head in the top left direction and looked down at her. "In case you didn't know _I'm_ the one sticking my neck out for you, and Lady Harribel just swore to protect you, the nerve honestly..."

"Thank you Mila. I know this can't be easy for you, but I'll do my best, I'm not the smartest but I think I have a plan in place to handle all this."

"You do?!" We bursted out. First time I've heard of this, I was in just as much awe as Mila was. I hadn't thought of anything! Was I just too concerned with Tier in the short term aspects?

"Yes. Simple, but it's still got it's kinks. As you know Mila there's a human with a truly abnormal amount of Spiritual Power out there, enough to defeat Aizen. Sung-Sun tells me there's two great Shinigami there, she doesn't know their rank, but I'll assume the worst. What's important is that I buy time for Sung-Sun to take all his potential power. Problem is, these two are either Captains, or have become so in their isolation, and although they are hostile to Aizen they're not going to support our plan. Mostly because the plan is to make you, Cyan, and Emilou into Vasto Lordes."

"Emilou? Whose that?" Mila interrupted.

"Another handmaiden like yourself, don't interrupt Mistress again." Still though, I'm surprised I never thought of this. The wrinkles in this plan would be interesting to listen to though.

"Anyway, as I was saying I'm putting off this plan until we have Emilou. We need as much insurance as possible. If we buy enough time for Sung-Sun then we've got three Vasto Lorde class Hollows fighting two Captains. And we may have more to go, if this Ichigo Kurosaki can defeat the Cuarto Espada and Aizen in succession then he may have more power."

Mila interrupted again. "For a human to have such power..." She leaned forward. "Do we know why that is? It's not toxic to us right? We won't explode if we make it ours will we?"

"How dare you!? Are you trying to tell me my power is a slacker? It's better than whatever you've got, besides he hasn't blown up yet has he ape?"

"Hey! I'm just trying to cover all our bases, what if he's an alien or something!?"

Tier thankfully put an end to her stupidity. "We don't know why he's as powerful as he is, but I figure we can put all the missing puzzle pieces together the closer the future gets, besides, we'll know once Sung-Sun gets her fangs on him. She's used her powers on humans and Shinigami I'm sure, so Ichigo Kurosaki will only be a question of time."

Mila spoke again. "A question of time against two Shinigami Captains who's capabilities we don't know. I can see why we're waiting for Emilou before we actually do this." Rose turned to me once again. "Sung-Sun, do you know how long it'll take? Are we expecting any kind of reinforcements?"

"Enough power to turn the Fourth Espada to dust? Although my power targets only Reiryoku it's still going to take a long time. I can speed up the process if I get my hands on him however. But no matter where they hide him I can still take his power. And as for reinforcements...I don't know, I know the Soul Society can monitor the living world but one of the Captains we're facing is from Squad Twelve. The other is from Squad Two however, so I'm not sure how they're evading notice." Either method put us at a disadvantage. Not even knowing which really put us on the wrong foot on top of that.

"Dammit! A pencil neck and a sneaky one. If only it was one of those Squad Eleven morons."

"I know, have you heard the gossip about them? Unwashed barbarians that shave using their Zanpakutō. What heathens..."

"Heh. Oh yeah? You should hear the talk about Squad One, I hear it's full of nobodies. So much for being one of the greatest Squads out there, I even hear the Vice-Captain of it is utterly unremarkable."

"Hm, no wonder the Head Captain leads it, they're utterly helpless without him. And I thought it was Squad Twelve that did all the paper pushing. Unbelievable."

"I know right? God," She gave a _very unladylike_ snort of derision. "Can't believe I was worried about reinforcements from them for a second."

"Indeed." I replied. "It sounds like the Twelve Court Guard Squads have mass produced Paper Cutters rather than Soul Cutters."

"Hah! I'd sure like to see em' try and scratch us with that, those big babies are gonna wet themselves when they see my Zanpakutō!" She brandished her claws for effect.

"Not a smell I savour Mila but I suppose it's inevitable. Seems all Squads are rather weak, but then again we are Adjuchas."

"Right, right, so this girl is going to be an Adjucha when we get her right? So what other wrinkles are there?" Mila turned to the Master at the end of that sentence.

Tier began speaking. "The biggest is that we don't know how they're hiding. If it's done by using the methods of the assassination Squad then our job becomes much trickier and we also put the future in jeopardy. These two are stated to be vital to putting Aizen down, and we're already fighting two Shinigami Captains, they'll send more once they know we're there. Kisuke Urahara is a genius, if lazy man. Which means they'll bring attention onto us and hide once they know they've triggered whatever surveillance system they have in place."

We descended into silence.

Multiple Captains. The prospect alone was unsavory, and then you had the Squad Lieutenants that might come along to learn something. What a shot in the dark...

But if we won then we had the power of Arrancar.

"So are we going to do this?" Mila.

"Mila?" Myself.

"Are you sure?" Tier.

"Of course. We don't exactly have a lot of options left right? So this our best option, just to make sure, this Ichigo is going to get his powers back right?"

"Yes Mila. But where is this confidence coming from?"

"Well we can't just sit here and nibble on a bunch of weaklings. This pansy Aizen could get away with getting strong where no one can harm him but we can't. Hollows are stronger because we're always used to the risk and know how to handle it. As long as we don't completely destroy our insurance then we're fine. Even this Emilou kid can handle it. All we've got to worry about is this Soi-Fon character right? The rest we can handle."

"E-even two Captains? We don't know how they'll attack us or anything. I've never seen the capabilities of their Zanpakutō, so how are we-?"

"We just need to hold out Sung-Sun. As long as we keep it a defensive battle we'll win since we've poisoned them all. Even the Shinigami know that Vasto Lorde are stronger than Captains. Besides, you've already told us that these two are are jokers that don't take anything seriously." I was speechless before Mila's approach to this.

"You're right Mila Rose." Tier spoke up. "As long as we keep it defensive and make our purpose unknown we could even go multiple times. So long as we don't incur multiple casualties it's possible." She paused as a thought entered her mind. "But that's impossible with the Twelfth Division Captain there. Kisuke Urahara will certainly prepare for us once he notices what's been taken. And that's the best case scenario, they're likely to notice in the middle of the fight, a spiritual being as strong as Ichigo will have a rather noticeable lack. So it's bound that they'll attack us even if they're reluctant too."

So they'll strike when they notice what's happening. Brilliant, and we can't do it twice since it'll be trapped to every rock and back.

"..." I thought as hard as I could. How could I manipulate this to make it so we could exploit this. But then came the thought of someone we never once tackled in this discussion. "Aizen..."

I heard inquisitive sounds from the two of them. "If Aizen twigs onto what's happening in Karuka Town...then surely, the consequences..."

Lady Harribel interrupted me. "That's okay Sung-Sun, just like with Mila, if he wants to get to you then he's got to go through me." I turned to her, my shock visible by my body. But it didn't stop there. "I'm the one doing this after all, I should be the one to take responsibility. Not anyone else. I want to get through all this without any other casualty than Aizen Sōsuke's, if mine is the price to pay for that world then I'll gladly pay it."

We both spoke out. "What?! No!"

I began speaking. "I'm alright with facing any consequences, I'm doing all this for you after all. If I hadn't, I'd-" I didn't know what I'd do. "I'd argue against it!" A lie. "You don't have to worry, the consequences don't mean that one of us has to die, just that things get uncomfortable. Let's do this, right Mila?!"

I turned to her. "Uh, yeah, it's not like he'll actually know anyway right? The plan's that those useless pencil pushers don't find us and we don't gotta hurt anyone."

Tier was quick to reply. "Yes. But do things ever go according to plan?"

Conflict really was inevitable. Even those without a Bankai weren't jokers when it came to this. Two skilled at finding and knowing what they shouldn't, I was skeptical about the odds of them not knowing what we were doing and finding us in the middle of our stay in Karuka. But still, Mila spoke. "We'll make it work!"

We were silent. All of us being absorbed by our thoughts. But then I realised the futility of that.

"Well," I spoke up. "Bit useless to be haunted by our own thoughts, we're going to do this because it's the only other option available to us, right? No point in second guessing ourselves."

My Lady looked to me. "Sung-Sun..."

I looked at her in turn. "Lady Harribel, do you doubt my conviction? You have saved my life, thus, I owe it to you. It's only natural, a woman such as you should go on to to live at the expense of a servant such as I. And maybe even teach others, that's why I cannot stand Aizen, Baraggan, Yamamoto or even the Soul King assuming positions of powers. Lady Harribel, I vow to you now, that if I live through this that I shall place you in the greatest position, that all may idolize you as I do." It was heartwarming, my heart and feelings laid bare for the person who I adored the most in this world.

Except Mila _interrupted it_ "Y'know Sung-Sun that's probably not healthy. I'd say you get that checked out but there's no head doctors here."

"Mila!? You uncultured heathen! I knew you were no good at all! Interrupting my moment with Lady Harribel! You-"

"Sung-Sun..." I turned back to Lady Harribel. "I...thank you..." I looked down and blushed, pretending that they could see it. "But you're not alone. Seeing you now, I doubt only your body's capabilities, not your soul itself. And I never had the right to judge that for a second, so I didn't, and won't. We'll all look out for another." I looked up at her, those fine features, her eyes, her hair, her skin. I adored her. Completely and utterly. "And although I appreciate your vow...I'm afraid I can't take it." Lady Harribel held her pata to the air, displaying the flat side to me. "This sword does not exist to take lives, but to defend them. I will incur no casualties if I can. Not you, not Mila or Apacci will be harmed. Nor will I assume Baraggan's position as ruler." She closed her eyes.

Although I felt she was about to explain I couldn't help but speak. "I see...well, that can't be helped for now. I suppose I take the role of Fenrich then. But...you will see sense, all other braggarts are taking a position that belongs only to you. If you wish to seek power in a group, then I will give you an army, I-"

I heard a snort. "Listen to yourself Confucius, getting a bit ahead of yourself are we? Killing Baraggan and the Soul King? I didn't know snakes had such thick heads." Mila, _the runt_ snorted. "Guess it can't be helped since you can be stepped on."

"Oh?" I began my retaliation. "What do you call a female kitten? Is it still a _bitch?_ Perhaps runt since you're so small you can't even bite my head from down there, you slobbering ogre."

"Slobbering ogre huh? Well I'll have you know that-...wait! Was that an insult about my face?"

"What do you think you tangerine faced idiot?"

"Tangerine?! I don't even eat fruit or vegetables!"

"Still doesn't change that golem like face of yours, or the colour either. Is your skull hard enough that you attack with it? I've never seen you fight after all."

"You little-"

"Mila, Sung-Sun." Hm, guess I'd have to sort her out later, along with whatever colour her face is. "I'd never force someone to fight something that they don't want to. That's why all of you can walk away at whatever point you want to. What we're talking about is likely to get us all killed."

"Hm." I quietly hummed to myself and decided to let Mila Rose answer it.

"Are you posing that question to Emilou? Because we're more than ready Lady Harribel, there ain't nothing that's gonna stop us!"

Harribel was silent for a moment. "Alright then. Once we're a quartet we'll march onto Karuka Town and seize what we must."

And of course we'd be doing it Harribels way. Which meant killing as little as possible and parlay. Typically I'd hate that, but I knew what these two might be capable of...

But that would not stop me. If I adored Lady Harribel more so than I did myself, then I'll go and give my life for her purposes. No matter how overwhelming and alien our opponents were going to be. Ah well, we had time to grow stronger as Lady Harribel conversed with them.

I wasn't blind like Mila, I knew how wide the gap was, and we were going to close it. Then I could finally be rid of this dreadful hesitation.

I haunted the dreams of Shinigami for Gods sake! A little kitten couldn't stop me!

Wait...why a kitten? Oh, Mila, that's why. "So what is that shade of vomit Mila? With your name I thought you would have been going for red. Or are those spikes the thing that put the Rose in your name?"

"You!-"

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Omake, turn on!

What the hell?

I peered down from the roof, the lower half of my face being hidden by my sleeve, but my wide eyes gave it away.

"Hey..." Emilou and Mila looked at each other before deciding to let Mila talk.

"I thought you said he'd get his powers back?"

"I...I assumed that to be so..."

"Then why's he fighting with one arm?!"

Ichigo Kurosaki was indeed using just one arm.

And he was winning against Grimmjow.

Tier Harribel spoke up. "It was the way in which Sung-Sun must've used her powers. Young Ichigo's body had a spiritual, and physical liability for an arm, so everything seems to have fled to the other. In one way, he's become stronger."

Emilou spoke up. "Oh...he's gonna be so pissed once he figures out who you are Sung-Sun."

"Urghhh..." I can't _believe_ this is happening to me! "This is unbelievable...I guess it's because I never let anyone lived after I used that part of my power on them...hmm... _hmm_..." I breathed in deeply.

I prepared to scream and shout.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Post Script:

I'm updating this to an M rating by the way.

Tier is operating on the fact he isn't actually a Captain class Shinigami, not really. Since she's been told about all three ways to become a Captain and that the Zanpakutō of both aren't known by Cyan Sung-Sun, well...you see the wrinkle in the plan. The uncertainty of it makes it somewhat questionable. So many what ifs that'll kill you if any happen. All she was told was the Divisions.

Of course...Tier WOULD have suspected the existence of something like the Visored without being told of their existence. Ichigo and his power had to come from somewhere, and she knows that Aizen can't be perfect, can't get it all right in one, especially after hearing about the difference between natural Arrancar and marbled Arrancar.

Partly why she thinks he got in by recommendation than anything else. She knows Kisuke Urahara must've done it to Ichigo. Let's just say Kisuke occupies a very unique part of her mind and leave it at that shall we?

The intelligence to have basically done something that he never had to have seen is impressive. Aizen isn't clumsy, and Kisuke is an ex-Shinigami for a reason. A small puzzle in her mind. But there is a small measure of desperation forcing her to do such a casualty inducing thing like this.


	8. Eighth Decibel

And that was how we met Emilou Apacci.

I wish. We were still just lazing around the home having done nothing since Mila's eyes had opened to the truth.

I, for one had found a particularly nice rock to moonbathe on. Franceska had rolled onto her side and stayed there like some fat mutant cat. Our Lady meanwhile was chipping away at the exterior of our house. For what purpose was beyond me. Did mold grow on it?

Did mold actually grow in Hueco Mundo?

I opened my eyes and looked at Mila.

Yes, yes it did.

"Hey Mila, are you going to laze around all day there? You're in my sight." It's not an unreasonable demand. I was in front of the door and Mila was facing our home. Wasn't a good look.

"Well what else am I supposed to do? I don't see you doing anything, at least I'm looking at something interesting."

"Our home being remodeled? I guess, but one mountain looks the same as another."

She huffed and stopped talking.

... _sigh. For Harribels sake._

"Why are you watching her carve the house apart Mila? You must be _really_ bored to think that that's something interesting."

"Well what else am I supposed to look at?"

I couldn't help but sigh. "My beads perhaps? We should also really watch for our more inferior... _brethren."_ I took a moment to recover from that disgusting reminder. "Our inferiors would ruin everything Her Majesty has just worked on...rude little shits." Painful to admit, but I was connected to a bunch of craven weaklings that became irrational in the face of Her Majesty.

Franceska looked surprised. "Huh, had no idea you were capable of that sort of language. So, are you still determined to put Lady Harribel on Baraggans throne?"

"Yes." I gave her a look. My voice broadcasting my sheer offence. "You can't want an ancient skeleton on that can you? He turns into a fat man!"

"R-really?! Ahah-ahaha-ahahaha!" She continued guffawing for a fair bit. "Ah, now it makes sense. Yeah that would be pretty disgusting, but there's gotta be another reason for it right?" I get the impression that she gave me a look, but I could literally see nothing on her face change due to that freakish face, poor girl.

"Of course. Baraggan Louisenbarn, Second Espada...nothing succeeds at making me grit my teeth more than that. The _thought_ that Baraggan gets to boss around Lady Harribel makes me vomit. The thought of Aizen betraying Harribel makes me want to jump down someone's throat and cut away at the insides with my mask as I pull the rest of me into their throat." I was longer than an entire family and could smash an entire building with my face. Give me enough time and I could do all that and more.

Why didn't I?

Oh, I never got that mad before.

At least I could do it though, I'd remember that for the next time someone woke us for an outing.

"I can't say I don't see your point, but you've got to calm down and think things through. He's ruler for a reason, he's stronger that Harribel, and I don't want to say it but it's the truth."

"Hm, for how long Mila?"

"I don't know. Until we get Apacci I suppose, but even then he's not going to be easy to depose. And we do want him to live right? It'd make resisting Aizens objections to dying even easier."

"Hmm...up until Aizen hypnotizes him."

Everything was blissfully silent for a while. "Ahh...shit. Do we just let him die?"

I tilted my head to the side in thought. "Preferable. But we'll have to run it by our Mistress first. Will you remind me or tell her yourself?"

"Ah, I'll do it myself. Lazy snake."

"Thank you. I'm a lizard, so from time to time I've got to do this."

"Y'know Sung-Sun, I'm pretty sure that's not how things work."

"Then why are you on your side like a cow?"

"OK, I know I'm supposed to be offended but you're not exactly proving me wrong."

I huffed. "Well I suppose I could go to the trouble of proving myself right. Maybe when I feel like it."

"You really are that lazy huh? Well," She pulled herself up. "Guess I'll tell her about Baraggan then."

"You know I didn't mean right now right? I was going to do it when she finally finished working."

"Oh." She flopped right down again. "Guess I'll sit down then."

"Lay down is the correct term...I think. Personally I can't wait for Emilou to come already. Then she could help Lady Harribel."

"Yeah, her body built for work?"

"Not much else she's good for I guess. Certainly better suited for this kind of work than I am. Though you're probably better at it."

"Yeah? Well...I ain't doing that kinda work."

"Yes well, that's why we're here lazing about isn't it?"

"Well I wouldn't call it that necessarily. No need to use such strong language to describe taking a break right?"

"Hmm...you're right. That Apacci has hotblood anyway. A practical learner, so I'm sure she'll be restless enough to act as a pack mule."

"Elk or deer right? Well whatever, you know anyone else that...'restless'?"

"No. But I suppose there'll be plenty once Her Majesty assumes the position that's rightfully hers."

"Hm, how are you going to do that? We'll be doing it together, which will automatically have Hollows running towards the hills or trying to userp us because we did it as a group."

"Hmph, the unwilling will run with all of us not there to contain them and the brown nosers will attempt to depose Lady Harribel once we overthrow Baraggan. Throw a harder puzzle at me Mila." I took on a lecturers tone. "Hollows will be reborn and given a job, and the resistance will face my tender mercies."

I could read her surprise from over here. "You really are that angry huh?"

"No...just irritated. Her Majesty is living art and a merciful ruler beyond what they deserve. If they really want to punishment so badly then I'll just hand them over to some sadist. The mind of treacherous leeches are too below me to consider."

She sat up to face me. "Do you really not understand that some Hollows would just object to someone ruling them? Even now Baraggan faces resistance from time to time. Well, runners mostly."

"That's no excuse. It's just another automaton acting out. I guess life would be boring without the occasional bout of bloodsports, but I won't bother to understand why worms bite humans. Their mind is too alien for me to understand, so I won't make the attempt. Don't pretend you're some bleeding heart that wants to understand why dogs are attacking you. There are only four smart people in this world Mila. And sad as I am to say it, that number may soon be reduced to three."

"You really don't understand why Hollows would have such a problem with it huh? Lady Harribel would never accept keeping them in line with such brutality."

"Fine, I'll destroy your two points. First off, why are you here?" She stayed silent. "Thought so. And secondly, the bloodsports need only be proposed. If it all comes to fruition then it will all be in place to be done. I'll reassure Lady Harribel that it's just for show and that the image will deter rebellion."

"Well...what are these bloodsports?"

"Colosseum for one. They'll be kept for as long as they have to. And anyone sentenced to death will be publicly displayed. And it won't be an execution at all." I could see her head perk up in interest. "Apacci will take out all her anger on them until they die. If she leaves their wounds hanging out in the open until she remembers them then that's that. No matter what they're not going to die in a day." Apacci would keep careful track of how many she had left and genuinely wonder if she had the time to take out of her schedule to go to therapy.

Ah Apacci. I'm beginning to love you. Something I should probably stop doing right this instant.

"Hmm...you think that'll work?"

"Of course! We'll keep the Eighth Espada if we can. First we'll have to determine his abilities and then decide whether or not to keep him based on risk. For the truly worst scum of them all we'll impale them on a landmark and occasionally quench their thirst. Of course, the drink will be full of experimental insects and debris. Rule by horror Franceska. Not fear, like that Baraggan. It will be a Lovecraftian nightmare for all who slander her."

"Oh yeah? And what if someone says I'm prettier than Lady Harribel huh?!"

"You can get away from my face you know that Mila?" She backed off. "Thank you, now they're wrong-"

"What are you trying to say!?"

"-But that's all they'll be." I suppose I could hold my tongue. It was okay to be body conscious when you looked like that. No need to retort I suppose...

"Hmph! I'll show you once I become a Vasto Lorde! Then you'll become a bit more cautious when talking about beauty."

"Yes, yes, and you'll get all the virgin men you could ever want."

"Ugh, I don't want men Sung-Sun."

Gotcha.

"Oh really? So you prefer the feminine persuasion? I'm the same." I said it just as I saw her move in reaction. "Although...I get the feeling that we might prefer them for a different reason..."

"Huh? What are you saying?"

"You never did explain why a female tiger has a mane..."

"Well-that's-"

"A lot of stuttering?"

"That's none of you're damn business!"

"Hey I don't mind." She turned around in a huff and I let the silence stew for one minute.

"Hey Rose...why don't you come over here? I actually am cold blooded now. So why don't you solve that better than this rock?"

"Huh? I thought you didn't want hair all over you or something? Wait! You're not gonna fondle me to find out more about me are you?!"

"Hm. Me and what appendage?" I smiled for effect.

"I don't trust this."

"Well, to be perfectly honest I still don't want to be flea ridden, but I am testing how good your taste in women is."

"So that's what this is about. And it's a little infuriating that I can't tell if you're jealous of me or what."

"Jealous of what Mila? Lady Harribels body? I'm glad you explained the real reason you were looking where you were prior."

It took her a while but she gasped in realization. "Sung-Sun you-!"

"Don't worry, I'm not going to tattle."

"No, Sung-Sun!-"

"Oh relax. What's a bit of gossip? I think I know exactly what you're staring at. I do prefer the feminine after all. Art lays with art."

"But!-"

"Oh relax. What am I going to do with that information anyway?" She eventually calmed down after a while. She really is antsy about all this intimate stuff isn't she? "You think Emilou has an eye for art like us two?"

"Huh? Well you haven't exactly told me anything about her, and I don't care either."

"How droll, she's not the best looking, but I'm beginning to admire her for her dedication to Lady Harribel. Something I should probably stop really soon."

"Hm, speaking of Emilou...how do you know all this? No one could ever have an ability to see the future. Not even a Shinigami, and they're weaker than a Vasto Lorde so that they can have a stronger gimmick. So how?"

I replied.

Uhh...give me a second.

"I dreamed it all up. You, Baraggan, everyone and everything."

"But how?"

I hanged my head. "I don't know the how of it, but it's not an ability I have."

"So you were just granted it? By the Soul King?" A sliver of disbelief was present. Mostly because none of us had answers.

"No. I plan to kill him too."

"Oh wow, you were serious about that?"

"I guess I could suck him dry."

"But what about seeing the future again?! Don't you think it'd be handy to be able to do that again?!"

"Calm down you wild monkey." I closed my eyes and got back to moonbathing. "Just use the Hōgyoku."

"What?! What'll that do!"

"It grants wishes. Kind of, just keep quiet so I can-"

"Are you?!-Master Harribel!"

"Wha-Mila! Tell her that one thing!" She already started climbing the green tinted mountain.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Yes Mila, I've been told it's capable of granting wishes. But it's also extremely limited in regards to that, so being able to see the future is a big question. The bigger question however is how we could even get our hands on it."

"But Lady Harribel! We could-"

I ignored the conversation and continued crushing the rock dust that fell in our home. Not much of it but I could crush whatever there was.

"Yes-"

Better not waste Harribels time and make her think she has to do this herself. It would also be a shame to witness an eyesore.

"I see what you're saying but-"

At least The body helped a lot. Just slithering over it destroyed it, which was fairly neat I suppose.

"Hm...perhaps you're right. Sung-Sun, what do you think?"

"Huh? Ah, sorry Lady Harribel. I was-" Not going to tell Mila what I was just doing if I had anything to say about it. "Too busy to listen." A bow of the head.

"Grr, Sung-Sun what are you thinking?-" Mila's admonishment was expected, as was Lady Harribel interrupting her.

"We were just discussing the Hōgyoku and any possible plans there could be with it."

"Hmm...well, I don't know where it is at all times or even how to use it. Aizen does merge with it to become part Hollow and still gets to use Kidō. He probably wishes for constant transformation. Happens three times I believe, and the Hōgyoku turns on him once Ichigo deals enough damage. So if you can transform three times then I imagine seeing the future is possible." I never did get to telling Mila that Aizen merged with it did he?

"It sounds as if it might be possible. Three transformations...we'll have to head it off before he can ever merge with it then. When does he by the way?"

"In Fake Karuka My Lady."

"Shit! Well? Do we have a plan for that? Juggling all those Captains and ourselves who might get put under his Zanpakutō?" No one spoke after Milas outburst.

Not a word from any of us for a long time till I broke the silence.

"Mmgh. We'll make it through this Mila, Lady Harribel already came up with a plan to procure power. We'll make a plan when more of the future becomes known to us."

"But-"

"Where did that courage from before go when you emboldened us about real Karuka? Mila, I want to tell you there's a way to nullify it but I can't. All I can tell you is that you're failing in your duties to Lady Harribel. We know plenty enough already don't you think? We'll become more powerful than we were intended to be, that alone is a sign we can do this, that our destiny this time is to triumph unblemished." I elegantly swung my head to the side, beads tinkling as I did so. "We're already warned about the future. Did you get this far because destiny held your hand Mila? Did you mean to insinuate that none of us got here through our own power and skill?"

"..." She gave me a look. A focused one. A look that I found myself appreciating.

"Lady Harribel could douse a volcano with a bucket of water, I can pave the road to the future, you can do just as well as us. I wouldn't let some no name rookie serve Lady Harribel. We have the time to develop the techniques, the time to think around our five senses. I've already proved I've got a sixth haven't I? And we can snatch the Hōgyoku if we need to."

"Ye-yeah, you're right..."

"Yes, look ashamed as you ought to. Letting a little toothpick and a ghost stop you from serving Lady Harribel. It's not even the length or width of our Master's sword. If things become so difficult then learn how to sense the Hōgyoku instead. It's all five senses, not the spiritual kind though."

Lady Harribel turned to me. "You believe he can't interfere with spiritual sensing? It's odd how none of his opponents thought to do so if that's the case. But I suppose he is a Captain, the pressure he could force probably makes it unfeasible. Or perhaps he's just good enough to hide it. If he mastered all four possible means of combat for a Shinigami then he's likely to have also mastered the ways of the Second Division. He clearly seeks perfection, so I'm going to guess he can replace any Captain of any Squad and improve upon it. Well...we'll figure it out as we go along."

Mila finally seemed to gather her courage. "A-alright. Yeah, I suppose I'll do that."

Oh for God's- "Ugh, don't bother. We'll all evolve and get a leg up in every regard. No one ever heard of a Hollow learning Cero before they became a Menos class."

"First you tell me to learn and then you admonish me for doing it. Make your mind up Cyan." I couldn't help the sigh that passed through my mouth.

"We're creatures of instinct Mila. Don't be as thick headed as Apacci though."

"Hmph!" She swung her head upwards to glare and growl at me, like she always does. "Then why are we getting her if she's that stupid?"

"Because we owe it to her Mila." We turned towards Lady Harribel as she started to speak. "She doesn't deserve to die just because she follows her instincts too strongly. She can be taught to ignore them like all of us here can, but instinct can be a good thing at times as we all know-"

God help me but I could only hear; "We can't erase her just because she has a skull thicker than your thighs Mila."

"So for that reason we'll find her and offer her a place with us, and if she rejects it and goes her own way, then so be it."

"Yeah Mila, we can't kill her because she's got a skull as thick as those thighs of yours."

 _Oh,_ did that feel good.

"Hey! Are you trying to call me fat!?"

"What does it sound like?"

"It sounds like I oughta' teach you a lesson in respect!"

"And how are you going to do that?"

"Well I'm gonna beat you and-"

 _Oh here we go._ Tier closed her eyes. _Why does Sung-Sun keep doing this?_ _She knows the future so why does she keep this up? Well...whatever. Although, isn't this a house on fire saying? I get the feeling they're going to snap and finally butt heads. Well...coming to blows is inevitable once they become Vasto Lordes. Although Sung-Sun was right about Hollows Vasto Lordes do need to train to fully utilize their powers. But still...is it enough?"_

Tier opened her eyes to see her comrades butting heads.

She promptly closed them and decided to ignore it as best she could.

"You trashy little harlot!" Cyan.

"You're the biggest whore around here! Who're you trying to call trashy!?" Franceska.

Perhaps it'd be better to wonder where they came from by language alone? No. Too easy, that wouldn't distract her.

"You loathsome _slu-!_ "

What would it be like with Emilou here? Hopefully she could balance the interactions between these two, rather than putting fuel in the fire. That would be-

"RRRAGHH!"

"Stop you two."

"Okay..." She could hear the sulking that was going on by the tone of voice.

Hmm...perhaps it'd be better if Apacci didn't have spunk. The sheer amount of arguments would be insane.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Omake, turn on!

"Hm?" I looked down to the child in rags on our doorstep in Hueco Mundo. "And what are you doing here little girl?" Cracked mask, looked like a child, so probably an Arrancar. If extremely weak.

"Uhh, I'm just looking for-" I picked her up by her rags. Lady Harribel might be pleased with a surrogate child. If not, I'd foist her off on Emilou. "Huh?"

"Shush now child. You're new aunt has work to be doing."

"Huh? But Ichtisygo-"

"We're going to his town so you can live with him for a minute, so just sit tight and keep quiet like all good little girls okay? And don't tug on my clothing. Especially the sleeves."

 **In Karuka...**

"Hey! You there! What are you doing carrying that child!?" A concerned silver haired man who I wanted to call Akihiko yelled at me.

"Juushiro, do you not see that cracked mask? She is an Arrancar, not an infant."

"But Captain Yamamoto!-"

"Why do you care so much about her anyway? Finders keepers."

"But that's not your child! You just said so!"

Ugh. Getting an earache from all this. "Fine, if you care that much..." I started to crouch and hurled her as far as I could.

"What!-" I saw him reappear at the child that kept making stupid noises next to my ear. "You can't throw OR hold children like that! What are you thinking!?"

"Well what if I throw him?" I pointed at his bratty looking child with the sword. "Will you still complain then?"

The silver haired brat spoke up. "Please leave me out of this stupidity."

"Yes!"

That was when the kid became a little angry rather than exasperated. "Captain Juushiro, did you just seriously call me a child?" A rebellious teenager?

"Now Toshiro, I know you may not like what I'm about to say-"

"I don't like what you're saying right now!"

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

 **Post Script...** Well...that's all stockpiled chapters.

Expect the next update next year. Or month.

So I'm seeing people start to appreciate the CyanTier. Excellent! Now you all know how I feel!! You will know the way!

Guest/Hallow: I'm quite happy you were so passionate about this story. Not that sure I'll be able to deliver on it though, but I'll do my best. By the way, am I missing out on anything if I don't watch Ranma? I read the manga and now I'm missing out on some anime only episodes but I'm not sure if I should watch the rest of it.

I do have more chapters but those are basically in a different world at this point. Scrapping the useless parts and keeping the good stuff is going to take a while. I am a little sorry that this is your last update for a while since it's so short, but I think I do well under pressure, so now the cooker should be on and I'll match it's pace. Hopefully. While I'm taking time why don't you check out my Favourite and Followed stories?

Guess I'll see you in...I don't know. Probably a month if I assume the best.


	9. Ninth Symphony

And that was how we met Apacci.

For real this time.

Pretty anticlimactic.

Got me worried about out timeframe I'll admit, I could even see a tightening in My Lady's noble frame when she got back home with her stray in tow. The moment Apacci saw me slumbering next to Franceska she reared back in surprise. Nobody expected two Adjucha's to be so close in proximity to one another. Of course her surprise, and tentative goodwill from her surprise and small amount of fear, would probably collapse the moment I started being honest with this overly angry hoodlum.

I got plenty of time to admire my Mistresses quaking bosom as she moved down the stairs. At least up until an unnaturally large and ugly dear blocked my view.

I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. Not only would this giant bony neanderthal be a permanent fixture in Our Lady's home, but that I think I knew how this conversation would go.

Perhaps I'll play along and see if it's all the same.

"Welcome back ma'am." Mila greeted our Master. Now probably wasn't the time, but I couldn't help but wonder what decorations Lady Harribel might want for her throne.

"Right." Practically her return words no matter how we greeted her. And we had greeted her in a lot of ways over our time together. Like making her break up our fights.

Now every actor had spoken their lines it was time to speak mine. "Well now, who's this?"

"A new comrade." Mila might have spoken up about this if Apacci hadn't already started talking.

"What? Me? A-a comrade?" She was baffled over Our Lady's words. Just like I recall her being.

"That's right." It was the same scene and the same words that played out in canon. I would have tuned it out already if I wasn't thinking up a new insult. Sad I had to do that when there were more productive things to do, thanks Mila.

I'd like to say it distracted me from the small crises I was having, but it didn't. If anything I felt disturbingly calm about this all. As if I wanted to take advantage of this rather than scream at fate for controlling My Lady's thoughts and words.

But Apacci's voice sure made me stop moping with the nonsense that she said next. "What's the meaning of this? You may have saved me, but I never asked for your help. And I'm not some eager slave who's gonna join up with you outta gratitude."

"Wow you sure got an attitude for someone who just got rescued." Flat tone, flat expression. I hadn't ever seen her like this. Hm, Mila was surprising at times. Like last week when we were talking about our blood sports and such.

She _thought_ I didn't understand why Hollows would have a problem being ruled by Harribel. She wasn't quite wrong, I knew that it was being ruled that made them uppity but that was it. She was just under the misimpression that I gave a damn about why Her Majesty's inferiors wasn't serving her.

Or was she trying to make it go smoother? We both knew no Hollow gave a damn about weaker people. We were a true survivor race of souls.

"What did you just say!?" Ugh. Now these two morons were going to snap my eardrums with their obnoxious voices if I didn't do something.

"Alright enough already. Listing to you two, I can see that you are as cocky as you are insolent." I announced this using a voice more cultured and civilized than these two ever could be. Although it was hard to match my refinement in any way, these two were just hopeless in all aspects.

"What!"

"And just where do you get off looking down on us missy!?"

"I can't help it if you're vertically challenged." See? These fools were so predictable I didn't need the future to know what they would say.

"Stop it you two, Sung-Sun, Mila Rose."

"Yes Ma'am."

"Sorry about that. Your name? What is it?"

"...Apacci."

"I see, I brought you here because we women are easy prey for the males. I brought you here because I thought it would be safer for all of us if we watched out for one another, rather than facing this worlds dangers alone."

I did want to bite my tongue and see how things would play out but I couldn't help myself. "Yeah, kind of inconvenient that they keep being so bitter when they die. It's a really ugly look all things considered." I got a snort from Mila for my efforts.

"True, I brought you here because I thought that it would be better if we worked in a group rather than working alone."

And from there it descended into canon. I wasn't sure how to handle my apathy towards what just happened, so I buried it under work and witty comebacks.

But I always remembered that in the back of my head. Trivia was what I eventually boiled it down to. Comments weren't power after all, and we'd have plenty of it...even if Apacci was completely unaware of that.

Yes, Lady Harribel hadn't told her about the future yet, likely because Emilou was a vastly different beast in comparison to Mila. Nowhere near as strong or courageous, but she certainly tried hard.

We hunted as many Adjucha as we could find. I pointed the way for the entire group, we fought as one. The teamwork aspect of killing people went surprisingly well somehow. We had to let those two slackers take the lions share of the kill of course, letting them feast and evolve, but what a pain it was, waiting for those two to pick up the slack and evolve already. The closer to it we were for Karuka the more likely we'd survive against those two Captains.

We were chasing one of them down as he was screaming some nonsense.

"There's no need to chase after him." We turned around to face Our Lady and her new pet.

"Yes."

"Understood." Mila took a moment to herself. "I'll tell you this though, if he tries to attack us again, I'm gonna bite off that _thing_ between his legs!"

"Oh my, looks like you finally understand how I feel Mila. But do take care, your mouth is becoming more trashy than your entire body."

"Huh?! You never know when to shut up!" She stomped the ground like some stupid little kid.

"You're acting like a foul mouthed little child and you're calling yourself a woman? Do I have to get you diapers?"

"Grah! You're such a bitch Sung-Sun!" I could see Lady Harribel out the corner of my eye moving away.

"How rude. Even Lady Harribel has had enough of your obnoxious yelling."

"Huh? Dammit Sung-Sun, that was your complaining that made her leave."

"Oh for God's sake you're acting like a dependent little child Mila."

"Eh?! That's some lip coming from you hypocrite!"

"Oh Mila, you don't seem to understand it's okay when I do it."

"You're a royal _bitch_ you know that?"

It continued on that vain for a while, and we wouldn't be getting back home in time. At least it was a nice way to pass the time as we got back there. Speaking of which..."How does it feel to walk on all fours like a real bitch?"

"Oh go shove your head up your ass!"

"Hm, is that just some way to find out what it looks like pervert?" I coiled myself up. "Well, I'm not letting you look at it! I know your curious because you've never seen it!"

It took Mila a second to recover from her confusion. "Stop with that you pervert!"

"No! Stray lions are supposed to exert sexual dominance on a lions pride! I know what you're doing!"

"For the last **TIME!** I do not have a-!"

 _Wow, these two really hate each other._ _Is Sung-Sun really suggesting that-_

 **"I'm not a man!"**

"Oh really? Well why didn't you just say so?"

"Oh you think you're being cute!? Grr...I don't think I've ever been so pissed off before. This...I'm gonna kill you!"

 _Woah, these two really are-_ "Lady Harribel! Those two are killing each other!"

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

It was quiet night for once. Mila Rose and Sung-Sun would only figure that out once they woke however. After all, only two people were awake even if one thought the other was asleep.

Apacci stared at the woman across her. Across the sands, trying to make sense of her.

"What's wrong? Can't sleep?" Tier suddenly spoke. Emilou needed a moment to gather herself.

"Oh. N-no it's just that...tell me something. Why don't you ever kill or devour the guys who attack you?" Tier opened her eyes. "In Hueco Mundo if you want to survive you need to keep getting stronger. Everybody knows that. It's the law of this world." Tier closed her eyes once again. "That's why lower ranked Hollows and Adjuchas get devoured. So, why don't you do it as well?"

Tier opened her eyes and glanced at her out the corner of her eyes. "I don't want to become stronger through the power I would gain by sacrificing another being. If I can't win by myself, then I'll have to rely on the power of a group."

A gasp could be heard from Apacci.

The night was silent once again.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Ngh, dammit!" The Adjucha jumped to strike at Apacci, only to be cut in half in the next instant. She saw Harribel land on the ground. "T-thank you."

"Always stay alert."

As Apacci stared at Harribels back she had a moment to herself. _Someday, I wanna be strong, like her._

"Hmph, just to let ya' know, if you get in trouble doing something reckless I'm not risking my life to save you." Mila's voice rang out from behind her.

God! No wonder Cyan hated this bitch! "I don't plan to save _you_ either! Stupid!"

"What?!"

"It's nice that you two are finally getting along, but try not to kill each other in the process alright?"

"Oh shaddup!" Geez, both of these guys _sucked!_ Why'd they have to talk so much?!

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

As of my current count they had swallowed twenty Adjucha so far, all of them were astonishingly competent too. So we were close to it. We just needed to be lucky when we first landed in Karuka, which hung over my head like a guillotine.

All these small interactions that we had let me know that the time was close at hand. Specifics escaped me. Ironically, reading time meant that you never knew when things occurred, prescience was oddly inaccurate when you most needed it. Oh well, the more they ate the better they'd be for Karakura Town.

I couldn't decide whether the timeless nature of Hueco Mundo helped or hindered me. You could never tell when a week had passed. Much less anything further beyond that. But to be frank, it didn't matter on a practical basis, only an emotional one. We just had to go before Baraggan called us for a meeting.

Now that I think of it, it was a strange sort of thing. My world felt older, it began to feel like a cottage I couldn't escape from. It curbed my want to get back the home I used to have, my bouts of homesickness.

But my homesickness, whenever it struck, left me in a dizzying bout of melancholy. I wanted to go back there. But I would grit my teeth and remember the beautiful city I used to live in within my mind as I stared out across the desolate world of Hueco Mundo. Up until my allies would say something stupid or draw me into an argument or something.

Made me a little worn out I suppose. I never got to clear up my feelings when I imposed my vision of the past with the present. There was something about beginnings and origins that greatly appealed to me. First impressions with me truly mattered. My thirst for the past even had everyone around me concerned. Goodness, they were even genuine about sometimes, do you know how off kilter I became when no barbs were thrown at me from these two?

It was nice I admit. But I never expected actual comfort from anyone. It was rather refreshing.

We were genuine killers after all, and more blood lay in our future. A lifetime of killing just kind of had a way of shaping you into what you needed to be.

But not Lady Harribel, she remained above it all and became greater than us for it. To keep things that way I'd crush child sized skulls underfoot. Her principals and everything else would remain intact. But still, the concern I got from these two was the most effective since I had never recieved it from them before. Even if a fair bit of it was born from a practical reason.

I'd be the same, I still watched them for any sign of weakness that might impede Lady Harribel.

But for now I simply moved around the living room, enjoying my movements. As I settled for laying on the table like it was a bed I could see Lady Harribel beckon me out of the corner of my eye.

I got up and approached her. She was in one of the deep crevices of the living room, nice and secure for a quite talk.

As I approached her I got straight to asking the questions. "What do you need of me My Lady?"

"I've decided to tell Apacci about your prophecy, I think it's time. We have to strike now before things become far too awkward to make this plan unfeasible. But before we get there I'd like to get some things in order. Do you believe that you've told me about everyone that's recruitable amongst the Espada?"

Thinking on it I knew of only one man that might do it. "Starrk Coyote. Anyone else doesn't stand a chance against Aizen milady."

"So I see. Is there anyone else who would rebel? So far you've only mentioned those who stand a chance against Aizen in a direct confrontation. What about those who don't?" I would like to say I could decipher some emotion from her stance, face or tone. But no. Her face had a mask and her stance and her tone was always the same.

After I gave it a few seconds of thought I came up with three rather troublesome candidates. "Neliel, Nnoitra and Granz. Those are all likely to rebel. I know Neliel does, but that's because of the last two candidates. And there's that one guy...forgot his name though, so he was probably pathetic."

She stared at me. No change in either her posture or eyes, no tilt or movement of her head. "I see. What about Apacci? Mila Rose?"

"If even Barragan will submit then we don't stand a chance Mistress. Oh, he does try and backstab him at the last moment."

"I see. By the way...you've told me that Aizen is capable of taking on the rest of the Soul Society captains. But how strong is he exactly Sung-Sun? Recall everything for me. I don't want to do anything until I hear everything again. I need to be sure that what we know isn't missing from any of my plans." She looked me right in the eyes as she said it, as I turned the question over in my head my tail and head started moving.

It was a nervous tick on full display. What did I tell her? He blocked multiple Bankai's with his bare hand? He crushed a Captain with a single hadō spell at a third of its power? I already told her about his stupid Zanpakutō. But all I could remember of his stupid sword was what it did, not how to stop it.

In the end I did tell her all that. I even told her that Ichigo's Bankai seemed to be about gaining even more spiritual power and compressing it into his body and blade.

A hypothesis. But one that seemed to be right from what I..."watched."

Over the course of these events, as we discussed the plot of Bleach until all my knowledge was laid on the table once again. Which included Harribel's death from a single swing from Aizen, my psychology report upon the Espada and what other limited fragments of knowledge that I had retained. We discussed it all intensely, thinking about failsafes and how certain things were done and what we could counter. We would continue this once we had more time.

My Lady wanted a rather thorough recap of everything and I'd give it to her.

"I see." My Lady closed her eyes, beautiful gold lashes making themselves prominent and sparking a hint of jealousy within me before I quickly stomped it out. Stupid Mila and her stupid comments, I'll look forward to beating the ignorance out of her when we become Arrancar. "Sung-Sun." She opened them again, full of focus. "It's time. Delaying the inevitable will not help anyone, gather them in the main room."

"At once My Lady. Shall me and Mila remain quiet throughout?"

"No. Say whatever you feel." Within reason of course. Perhaps it'd be best if Sung-Sun didn't realise how tempting such an offer was to her though.

Cyan Sung-Sun moved towards her fellow servants, unaware of the fact that Tier Harribel did not have even a single day of peace ever since obtaining Mila and Sung-Sun.

She found the two of them a bit outside the home, catching some moon. "You two! Lady Harribel has ordered us to meet together in the main room."

"Huh? The main room? What's that?"

"It's the living room Apacci. The one with the table?"

"Huh? Oh thanks Sung-Sun."

The deepest voiced of us all spoke, Mila Rose. "Wow, that's awfully polite of you? You're normally quite pissed off. What has you like this?"

"Huh?...Yeah, you're normally more of a bitch than this Sung-Sun, what gives."

" _That_ gives. You two are the ones that start something-"

"Right..."

"Yes, yes, nice sarcastic drawling dimwits. But when you keep being stupid and insulting me, your superior-"

"Who's that? I don't recall disrespecting Lady Harribel."

"...Adorable Mila. It's so hard to get respect from children isn't it?" I hung my head in despair at all the uppity nonsense that was coming my way. "I don't know why I even bother trying anymore."

"Hmph. Well we've yet to prove who's superior between us, we have the time to show the new girl which one of us is better right?"

"Hey!"

"I would love to put your face in the sand. But sadly we don't have the time to beat _all_ the _uppity nonsense_ out of you. But I'll get around to it eventually."

"Hm, so you say. But what could be so important? Or are you delaying the beatdown that'll come when you sass me?"

"It's time you stupid fur ball."

Her _thick_ skull perked up in interest. "You mean?..."

"Yes, the hardest fight of our lives is about to commence."

"Huh? What are you two talking about?"

We turned to her, Mila staying quiet as I spoke. "You don't know it yet, but you will once we're there."

"H-hey! Are you trying to freak me out?! Come on you two, this is a lame joke!"

We turned to our home and moved into it, the door having been left somewhere else.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

We finally reached the main room, Our Lady was waiting for us. Her eyes half-lidded as always. "You've all come I see. It's time to go to Karakura Town. It is there, that we will secure our future. Come..." She looked at us, waiting for one thing in particular. It took a surprising amount of seconds for it to happen.

"Woah woah, what?!"

"We're going to that town so that Cyan Sung-Sun can use her ability to its maximum potential. Through that we will hopefully push you three into Vasto Lorde."

"H-hold on a minute! That doesn't make any sense right?"

Mila spoke up, raising a paw as she did so for some reason. "Of course it wouldn't, not ordinarily at least." She lowered it. "But that place is chock full of a lot of powerful people."

"Wha-?! But how strong can a town of humans possibly be?! Not as strong as an Adjucha!"

"Actually there's a few strong humans there. But we're not talking about those. Karuka Town is full of supernatural beings beyond measly Hollows. Like failed experiments and Shinigami Captains."

"We're going to fight Captains!? But we can't handle that! Maybe if it was just the one, and what dumb experiment can possibly be strong enough to make us evolve!?"

"The kind that become capable of using both their Zanpakutō and a Hollow Mask."

Mila's words left Apacci stunned. "...What?"

Harribel spoke again. "A Twelfth Division Captain created an object capable of breaking the boundary between Hollow and Shinigami. He called it the Hōgyoku, and a man called Sōsuke Aizen had found it. Using his Zanpakutō, Kyōka Suigetsu to fool the rest of the Shinigami and use the Hōgyoku on his comrades so he can make the process more efficient."

"What...how do you know any of this?"

"I was told of all this, yourself, Mila, the capabilities of Shinigami Captains and the upcoming Arrancar."

Silence hung in the room as Emilou slowly recovered from hearing all this. "A-are you serious?"

"Yes."

"But...how can I trust this?"

"You can come with us or choose not to. As I said, I don't want to become stronger on the sacrifices of others, so I'll put myself in the way of what might strike you. But the future is only going to become more dangerous. I want us all to live, we'll become easy prey for Aizen otherwise. Even after becoming the Third strongest Arrancar I still fall against him." She turned around and cut the air, leaving a spatial distortion connecting our home to Karuka Town.

Mila and Lady Harribel went forth, but I looked at Emilou and saw her struggling with the truth.

I hated to admit it, but I could kind of understand why Emilou was struggling. This entire story seemed like a fairy tail. No matter how bloodthirsty a Hollow was there was only so much information about this that they can handle. "Are you okay?"

She looked at me, and I could feel some of her gloom from the look alone. "Huh? Oh...yeah." She even sounded down...it was actually kind of pleasant to hear. No more obnoxious yelling for once. "Hey...Sung-Sun, how are you handling this?"

"Just fine. Why are you asking?" I tilted my head a little with the intent to hear my own Hollow Mask make sounds.

They were lovely sounds. "Well...doesn't this all seem crazy to you?"

"No. Why would it?"

She sounded startled. "Y-you don't? But this is crazy. What if we fail? Aren't you concerned? Don't you care about your own life?!"

"No not really. Bit stupid to ask isn't it?" I tilted my head in real confusion this time. Clearly however, according to this _genius_ that was keeping Lady Harribel waiting, I was the kook. "If I cared about it then I'd still be just some weakling Hollow scampering about and looking for a lonely human. This is just an opportunity to become stronger isn't it? Why are you so hesitant?" I still didn't understand why Grand Fisher or any moron did that. You could rampage through a city rather than wait for people to show. Well...depending on the Shinigami that is. Distracted or not kind of muddied the waters a little. It'd be better to eat them entirely. But it would be a pain if Hollows got brain cells. The Soul Society is probably filled with countless disposable henchmen ready to swarm the human world at a moments notice.

"But...this is insane..."

"No one's forcing you to come. We just put this on hold until we had you. To be frank, I'm kind of glad Lady Harribel decided on that, I'd go alone if I had to, but having some dependable people to rely on is relieving."

"You...think I'm dependable? But I'm..."

"There there, it's only natural to be scared. I don't remember those kinds of idiots in my visions. If you were some stupid blue haired reckless idiot who feared nothing then I wouldn't have seen you in my vision."

Her head shot up to stare at me. "You mean...YOU told them all this? That you can see the future!?"

"About right." I turned away from her and moved to follow Her Majesty to the human world.

"Wait!-"

I entered the Gargantua. Spent too long telling Apacci why her feelings made some sense. Keeping Lady Harribel waiting should be worth at least a broken leg and jaw.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

 **Deleted Scene.** We finally reached the main room, Our Lady was waiting for us. Her eyes half-lidded as always. "You've all come I see. It's time to go to Karakura Town. It is there, that we will secure our future. Come..." She looked at us, waiting for one thing in particular. It took a surprising amount of seconds for it to happen.

"Woah, wait a minute hold on, what are you all talking about?" Emilou finally spoke up.

"You don't know about this Apacci, but there is a level beyond even Vasto Lorde that Hollows can access regardless of rank. Arrancar. The cost of doing so however means we can no longer evolve. And I believe that we don't have that much time left before it is forced on us."

"Woah woah what?!"

"It is an item called the Hōgyoku. Using it a Shinigami Captain will create Arrancar in an attempt to streamline the process of his own evolution. This man is called Aizen Sōsuke and he will betray us all. Because despite this new increase in power it is still not enough to beat him. Ever since I've been told of this I've kept in mind one plan, Karakura Town. Using Karakura to find a specific presence there. A human that has enough power to destroy the Fourth strongest Arrancar. It is my hope that by using Sung-Sun's power on him we will evolve you all to Vasto Lorde and create an insurrection within his ranks."

Apacci hung and then began to shake her head rapidly. "Hold on a minute...someone told you this? Who? and why are we trusting them? C'mon guys! This is obviously a trap!"

Mila, _of all people_ spoke up. "Sung-Sun wouldn't do that to us. Even if this whole thing is a little goofy sounding." For her to be the one to say such a thing.

"Mila?! I thought you were the smart one! And what's this drivel you're feeding us, huh snake?!"

"This... _drivel_ of mine is going to be shoved down your throat along with the rest of my scaly backside if you continue to speak like that to me."

"Sung-Sun predicted that I would find you. That Mila Rose would join us. She saw the future Apacci, and I know she wouldn't harm us if the choice was presented to her."

"O-oh yeah?! Well what about this hardest fight nonsense! Not that any of it's real anyway!"

"Nice save plebian. And as for my hardest fight statement I was referring to the two Captains in Karuka."

"What? No, wait that's crap! You don't fool me!"

Mila spoke. "Well why don't you come with us if it's all a bunch of garbage? The Shinigami will mobilise but it's not like it'll take us long to get what we need. We certainly won't take as long as they do with all their bureaucracy."

"Well?! What are we even looking for!?"

"Could you keep your voice down Apacci? I'm getting a headache. And we already just told you, strong people to steal from. It won't take us long at all. Two Captains in close proximity and all..."

"And why should I follow along with this crazy plan huh?!"

"You don't."

Excuse me? We all turned to Lady Harribel in askance.

"...What?"

[Have Harribel be more brusque about the entire affair and have Emilou wonder about how Sung-Sun knows this as they sit back and drain two Captains.]

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Wow, didn't expect this to be as much of a headache as it did. I didn't believe I could pump out another chapter so soon. I would say that this had no scrapped parts from the original story, and had become an original chapter. But I'm not so sure I'd say that.

It took so long because I scoured the world for an English dubbed episode of Harribels past. And then came the latest scene with Apacci. It really wasn't the easiest thing to write, especially with my sloth demanding I read others stories rather than writing my own and entertaining you.

But even still it feels like this chapter is sloppy. If you have a problem with it then please leave a review. It'd help if you were specific in which part was the worst. Thanks.

Speaking of entertainment, GruntsBreeder liked the previous omake. I think his username is better though, hope they work real hard on the job.

Thinking of how long this took makes me disappointed in myself though, this is so sad, Alexa, play the omake.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Didn't think you'd get Fracción Sung-Sun."

I glared at Apacci. "Thanks..."

"Just didn't think you'd get such a colorful group Sung-Sun."

I narrowed my eyes. " _Thanks_ Mila. Don't mention it...at all."

"So are they doing well in your...what'd ya' call it? Dance class?"

I grit my teeth. _"Shut up Apacci."_

"I think it's rather cute. They all want to know how to move like you."

"How to _fight_ like me!"

"How do you deal with that bright orange afro by the way? Or do you just like that hair color? You seem to like men with orange hair."

" _Shut. The fuck. Up!_ And I don't hear you saying colour correctly you slob!"

"Ooh, you hear that Mila? She sounds awfully cranky. You think she needs some time with her boyfriend?"

"Or her girlfriend. I know she doesn't join in on the lessons that much. You keep her around for other reasons Sung-Sun? Isn't her Zanpakutō a whip? Didn't think you were that kinda person."

" _She serves me tea!_ Speaking of; Cirucci!"

I heard her Sonido to my side. "Yes Lady Cyan?"

"Tea."

"Yes Ma'am. Which one do you feel like?"

"No. 57's arm again. I need the strong stuff."

I heard her Sonido away as I stared at these two dumb morons sitting down in my own room to insult me...

The nerve.

Mila's face became more flat as she posed a question to me. "What the hells in that 'tea' of yours?"

"Hollow blood." For some reason the two got wide eyed over it.

"Wow. You're actually pretty screwed up aren't you?"

"What are you talking about? It's got an acidic tang that I like!"

"Does Lady Harribel know about this?"

"No? Why?" I was interrupted by Cirruci appearing again.

"Here you go Lady Cyan." She offered me a teacup.

But then I saw her look towards our guests, teapot in hand. _"No."_ I gently put the cup down on it's table. "Don't give them _anything_ Cirucci. Filthy heathens don't get nice things. They just get shown where the door is so they can show themselves out."

I heard an unimpressed huff from them. "And how'd ya' think you're gonna get us outta here huh?" I stared down Apacci.

"Cirucci. Get 37's more...tender parts. These unwelcome pests want to stay and insult me. I suppose I'm obliged to play the part of a good host."


	10. Tenth Ring

I exited the Garganta and beheld the most quaint little town I ever did see. I took it all in, the solution to all my problems. _Well hello there Mrs. Karakura. I'm here to suck you and your son dry. Hope you don't mind if I destroy that small child's innocence in doing so._

I started casting out my most valued ability, cloaking Mila and Harribel in it to let them know I was on the ball. Better not waste time here.

"Sung-Sun." Lady Harribel addressed me. "Where's Apacci?"

"I gave her some inspirational words. Whether she chooses to follow will be done out of her own free will at this point." All humans touched by my power were drained of all their power. But I had yet to touch every corner of this little town...

"Hmph, what's the hold up with that damn kid? Figured she'd be raring to go, and instead she's holding us all up!"

"She's afraid Mila." I looked at Our Lady out the corner of my eyes. "She's afraid of perishing, as anyone should be. She's a stranger to us, trusting us at this point would be odd."

"And what if she expects a slice of the pie when-" I tuned her out as I looked around. Even if it was just seconds since I got through the Garganta I thought I would have found him by now.

And then I did.

I descended from the sky as my eyes saw a cadaver, obfuscated by darkness and tall grass. But still...even in the dead of night...

I could still see her orange hair.

I descended to the ground with grace, my current companions following me as I stared at this scene. How lucky...hmhmhmhm.

Mila's gruff voice spoke up. "So, is this the-" She was about to nudge the corpse with her paw when a new presence was felt. I turned to the Garganta, Franceska turning with me. "Hm...'bout time she got over whatever she was having."

"Indeed. I thought it would take her a bit longer however. It's only been a few seconds since I got here."

"Still irritating though." Apacci looked around trying to find us until she finally looked down and rushed at us. I saw the Garganta behind Emilou close as Harribel finally closed it behind my back.

Finally the idiot touched down. "Well?! Are we going to stand here or what?!"

I was far too tempted to roll my eyes at her. "Oh relax Emilou, we've found our little gold mine. One at least. Still have yet to find those two." Not even half a minute passed since I got to work and I already found a good one.

Except I didn't.

I heard struggling behind me. Aforementioned _failure_ finally waking up to a whole new world of pain and suffering. "M-mom?" The cadaver moved, the disappointing baby underneath finally having awoken to flap his mouth to make useless noise. I turned to the scene to see Lady Harribel watching in stoic silence as the child finally began to understand what happened. Just as I prepared my body to fling the deceased woman away and in multiple pieces, Lady Harribel plucked her away and placed her down to Ichigo's right. His eyes never left his mothers for a second. And then he began crying.

"Hey..." I heard Emilou whisper in my ear. "Is this that one human kid you were talking about? I can't feel anything from him." Yes...I couldn't either.

"You screw up somewhere Sung-Sun?"

Deep breaths Sung-Sun. There had to be some way out of this. You-

I was interrupted as Lady Harribel punched the soul out of the stupid brat.

...Oh! The Soul-Body Separation technique. Forgot about that. And clearly these two did as well since they were freaking out too.

I slithered up to him as the child began to make even more noise. Now I could feel something. But my head turned to the northeast, my power giving me the sweetest news.

My comr-...my inferiors turned to look in the direction that I was.

"You found em' Sung-Sun?" Franceska's voice overpowered the crying.

"Yes, two of them, both in the same place. This may go quicker than even my wildest dreams suggested it might. Now...as for you..." I turned to the child, his wide eyes brimming with tears as I looked at him.

"Be gentle with him."

"Yes Madam, I'll try not to scar him." I opened my mouth, the alternate version of my ability activating.

To the young boy, her fangs glowed bright pink. And then he felt nothing but immense pain. But the pain inflicted on his body would still be nothing in comparison to the loss of his mother.

To the snake, all she felt was power overflowing. Her power having found all three. And even better, none of them were moving at all. Meaning that not only had the two Captains not caught on, but that she wouldn't have to rearrange her power to catch them again.

"Well Sung-Sun? How do you feel? Are you taking it quickly enough?"

"Yes Milady. This is going far faster than expected, but there was a lot less conversion than I thought I'd have to do." I looked at the boy below me as he tried to run away, only to be pulled back to his mortal yoke by the Soul Chain. "It's like he's part Hollow himself."

"Hmph. Don't be so ridiculous Sung-Sun. This little whelp could never be like us, he must just be some weakling Quincy or something."

"Yes yes Mila, your input is very appreciated. Perhaps you could give us some actual insight when you become more spiritually attuned Hm?"

"Ha! Coming from the person who thought this boy was worth something when I don't even feel anything from him!"

"Hm, your bitterness isn't appreciated Mila, and I'm sure this child doesn't appreciate it either, perhaps if you stop talking he'll stop crying. And besides, I do get something from him."

"Grr-"

"Mila...honestly...you're a lion. Do you think growling will calm him down?"

"You can be such a cu-"

"Mila. Not in front of the child."

"Yes Ma'am." It was nice to hear Franceska grit her teeth. Apacci meanwhile was unusually quiet. Guess she was coming to terms with things.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Do you feel that Kisuke?" A deep voice from a small being made itself known within the small room.

"Yep, that's a lot of unsettling customers...don't you think so too Yoruichi?"

"Now now Kisuke, just because they're strong doesn't mean they're here to cause trouble." The cat sounded amused.

"Yeah but I can feel that something or other is going on. Not to mention the fact they might bring the cops to our fine establishment!" The blond man with the cane postured about, making only one other man in the room tense up.

"Madam Yoruichi! Kisuke Urahara! Do you not feel this?! If we do not do something-!" The tall dark skinned giant was silenced as Kisuke began talking again, most of his face hidden by his green and white strapped hat.

"Calm down Tessai! What's the worst that's gonna happen? They're only window shopping, whether they come to us or not is entirely dependant on if they're interested in our services or not!" Kisuke whipped out a fan and began fanning himself. There was not a trace of worry in Kisuke's tone. Only joyous optimism and joviality.

He truly wasn't concerned in the slightest.

Tessai Tsukabishi however... "Please! Madam Yoruichi! You must do something!"

The small black cat waved it's paw at him and looked the other way, tail flicking as it did so. "Oh please Tessai, you can't get worked up over every little detail. This situation is going to resolve itself somehow." Yoruichi started looking at the shelves of the shop that Kisuke owned for anything interesting. That was when Tessai's glasses _gleamed._

As his glasses took on a terrifying shine he realized how to resolve this dreadful situation. He was silent for but a second before he finally spoke. "I will buy you fifty packets of cat food." A most _powerful_ bribe to be sure.

Yoruichi looked at him our the corner of it's eye. "Well...alright. There's going to be that brand I've been hearing about in it too right? This Felix was it?"

"I'll do my best."

"Well alright then." Yoruichi's tail began to sway as the cat began walking to the door, the giant in the apron sliding the door open for it.

In truth, it was a rather intriguing situation. This power...this ability...

Didn't work on her.

Whatever this ability was it was hard to find. This power was like a black hole, something that could only be seen by it's effects rather than anything else.

She had to use Reiraku on her two friends in order to get an idea of where to look, but the Reiryoku being drained had a trail that ended suddenly. The Spirit Ribbons evaporating into nothing, but she could make enough of a guess to identify where the Reiryoku stealing poison was.

Hm, good thing she developed a resistance to poisons. Hope Soi Fon kept up with that training. It came in useful from time to time.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

The Seireitei was alarmed to say the least.

The reason Tessai was so eager to have Yoruichi solve the situation was because of how unlikely it was for the Seireitei to mobilise in the time it took her to handle it.

And indeed, this situation was something that scarcely ever happened.

As in; it didn't.

The night sky was filled with black butterflies. Hell Butterflies, the messengers of death. All of them filled with certain messages. The ones telling the Captains to assemble had already been sent, all of them were assembled before The Captain Commander.

The wizened old man spoke. "Tonight an unprecedented situation has befallen us. A Vasto Lorde, along with three Adjuchas, have gathered in a single place. And even more, according to Captain Mayuri's readings from the Research and Development Institute, they are not destroying each other. Furthermore, one of the presences is one that is extremely familiar to us all." Some heads gave a minute twitch. "Yes, it is her again." Head Captain Genryusai Yamamoto opened his eyes. "Our greatest shame, a sign of remarkable incompetence that will not go away until we have dealt with her. Now you may be wondering; is she a Vasto Lorde? Or is she an Adjucha?" He banged the pristine wooden floor with his cane. "Well you should be ashamed regardless of the answer, the rate of growth is unprecedented. But I suppose I should lighten the blow of your failures and tell you that it is an Adjucha."

 _Two years._ That was the general thoughts of those in the room. Soifon clenched her fist, Ukitake pulled his head down, Byakuya closed his eyes for a moment, Kaname Tōsen reflected. Gin and Kenpachi however only grew a more demented grin. The only one's who seemed concerned and empathetic were Unohana and Aizen, their faces expressing care and shock.

"But sir," Aizen spoke up. "What's happening to the town? If it's destroyed then even the Twelfth Division will have it's hands full with the aftermath."

"Indeed young Aizen. Fret not however, the Hollows have yet to move or attack anything so far. But we must be orderly! Do not lose your head over the humans in the living world, or we may lose more of them. If the worst comes to worst, the leader of this may have found even more strong Hollows and convinced them to invade at separate points entirely. The initial force being sent will consist of: Jushiro Ukitake, Soi Fon, and Gin Ichimaru. Bring your Vice-Captains if you think they will be of aid to you. Kaname Tōsen will stand by in the case you need reinforcements. It is not ideal, but Gentei Reīn will be applied. It's not ideal to limit eighty percent of your power, but it as you said, human casualties are a thing that _must_ be avoided at all costs. I have chosen you four because you are all less likely to do damage to the surroundings." He closed his eyes again. "In the worst case scenario, where Gentei Reīn _must_ be activated, Soifon will be the first to have it unlocked. Then Gin, then Jushiro. Of course, if you decide to bring in your Lieutenants then they will go in without Gentei Reīn. You have one minute to prepare. Dismissed!" Gin...perhaps the most dangerous choice, having a Zanpakutō capable of immense damage to the settlement, it was unlikely that he or his Zanpakutō would be manipulated into doing so, but the risk was still there. This... _attack_ if one saw fit to call it that may not have been born out of ego, but genius stratagems instead.

He banged the floor once more with his cane, all the Captains that were to be deployed immediately having disappeared in a Flash Step. Kaname simply walking out of the room.

His first stop being his Vice-Captain. Then they would stand at the Senkaimon, ready to jump into the fray at the soonest sign of trouble.

"Head Captain," Aizen spoke as silence reigned in the room. "Might I send a few Hell Butterflies? Momo is probably scared for my health, as long as a few others."

"Hmm, that behavior is unprofessional and unbecoming of a Lieutenant of a Division. She should learn to grow a spine. I would not promote so pitiful a whelp to the rank of Captain if he needed protection from a little girl."

Toshiro spoke. "That may be Captain Commander, but causing Momo more stress than is needed will not help anyone. She's not the type to learn how to firm up like that. It takes time for a person like her-"

"I am well aware of your interactions with her and find that unprofessional as well. She should learn not to be like this. She will get used to the stress eventually. If her Captain being away for stretches of time, or even him doing his job frightens her, then I must sincerely question her capabilities."

Aizens gentle voice was the next thing to be heard in the room. "Sir I must protest, Momo is an excellent Lieutenant of the Kidō corps, no one else has the same grasp as her. The only thing she's lacking is confidence in combat, and I'm perfectly willing to bring her out if any more strong Hollows appear. Please sir, Momo is just an empathetic soul. There is no need to be so harsh with her." His gentle expression and tone of voice brought to mind certain Lieutenants.

All the Vice-Captains had been told was that the Captains had been summoned and that they had to stand by for possible deployment. The exact situation being unknown. But still, Momo Hinamori was the most emotionally fragile Shinigami that there probably ever was, or ever will be.

It would be amusing to see how she might have otherwise developed as a Hollow. Would she still have that soft personality of hers? Alas, both question and answer were meaningless, he did not trouble himself with what may have been.

"Fine then, I suppose if you are going to bring her in what I assume to be a similar position then it is best she be informed of the situation in it's entirety. If the rest of you feel the need to do so then you may also inform them. Just make it quick."

"Thank you Head Captain." Aizen prepared the butterflies. And as Kaname and his Lieutenant stood by, one of Aizen's butterflies would land on Kaneme's fingers, delivering orders to him.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Hey Sung-Sun, I'm not exactly feeling the power flowing through me over here."

"Yes yes Apacci, I know that you're not the smartest one here but if I haven't even evolved yet then giving you two power will hardly help with anything. Honestly..." God I want to evolve already, then I can finally sass these idiots with eye rolls and not look ugly doing so.

Fools almost made me say third wheels which is an alarming sign. I hope my IQ isn't going down with each word from them I hear.

"So how close are you Sung-Sun? We've been lucky supposedly but I can't exactly sense things as well as you and Lady Harribel can." Franceska's voice was wrought with more tension than Apacci's.

"Relax Mila..." I ran the numbers in my head. I think I've got it in two minutes. But I wasn't too confident about the number I admit. "Probably three minutes and there will be two Vasto Lordes on the field." That was the answer I finally settled on giving.

"I see, then there will be trouble. But that is fine." Harribels words roused our intrigue, and my admiration.

"Yes? How so Ma'am?"

Our Lady stood in front of us all, staring across the riverbank as it rained. "We will handle the Captains as well. Sung-Sun can even alert us to their presence, allowing us to move away and potentially buy more time as she drains them. Eventually, we'll be able to look out for each other, just don't let your guard down. They're bound to have tricks up their sleeves."

I spoke up. "I see, we will become Vasto Lordes yes, but do you really think these two idiots can avoid getting suicidally overconfident? No offense Milady."

"Hey! I'm not that stupid, we just gotta be careful of rookie over here."

I spoke before Emilou could get a word out of her mouth. "I dunno. I think both of you will probably get at least a little power hungry and I'll have to reign you in." Having flashbacks about being burnt wasn't the greatest thing to recall. "Some Captains are going to require all of your concentration. Especially with these bodies of ours."

"Ha! Well I'm not nearly as afraid as you!"

"Yes yes Mila, we get it. There's plenty of fat for them to cut through when they strike you."

"What?! You cheeky little bint! When I become Vasto Lorde I'm gonna-"

 _Oh, that's a problem..._ Yoruichi beheld the tragedy before her, staring at Masaki's corpse and her young child. More specifically, at Ichigo's soul chain. _This really isn't good at all...Masaki..._

"How uncouth Mila. Perhaps you should wash your mouth after saying that? There's a stream right there," the snake pointed with her tail. "Perhaps I'll throw you in it?"

Yoruichi stepped in before the lion Hollow could reply. "Excuse me," she stayed still as all Hollows present turned to her. "Do you happen to know who might have assaulted that woman on the ground over there?"

I was immediately on edge. This little furball wasn't showing up on any of my senses. This thing didn't have any spiritual energy at all. I reared back and began to speak. "Oh look Mila. Something to take the edge off. Oh wait, I forgot you prefer women."

"For God's sake Sung-Sun! Shut the hell up before I shove my paw down your mouth!"

"Oh god please don't." I groaned. "I don't want your muddy paw and fur any near my mouth. Keep whatever dirty little fetishes you have to yourself okay?"

"You bitch! How can you say that! You even know how desperate you sound at times?!"

"Oh that's rich coming from little Ms. Insecurity over here. Just because you're too afraid to come out the closet, honestly...I've seen the way you look at-"

"Shut the fuck up Sung-Sun!"

"Okay okay geez, but you're teaching the child over here bad manners." I pointed with my tail at the child trapped in my coils, unable to escape. "You know Lady Harribel just forbade that didn't you? Oh, speaking of which, what'd this cat want again? Why don't you meow at her Mila? Perhaps wag that fat behind of yours? One of them will inspire a response more pleasant than hearing you talk at least."

The little black cat spoke up. No, little wasn't right, it just wasn't as tall as a Hollow. "Actually we felines speak in a myriad of ways, but her shaking that at me will be asking for the impossible. I'm not actually a man you see."

"Oh, that explains Mila's rough and tumble voice. You're all cursed with that, I see...my apologies." I dipped my head to her, the poor leper could do with some sympathy I guess. "So you were talking about the woman? Some loser killed her."

"Hey! Where's my apology Cyan?!" I ignored Mila.

"I see. And do you happen to know the name of this person?" The cat's yellow eyes made direct contact with mine, no trace of fear to be found in her eyes.

"Grand Fisher or something? I don't really care to remember pathetic nobodies, so I won't be able to give you that answer again."

"I see, thank you miss...?"

"Are you really so stupid as to think I'm just going to give it to you?" I looked at Rose. "Is this some kind of defect amongst your inferior kind Franceska?"

"Heh. Yeah Rose, that funny skull of yours turn your brains to mush or something?" Even Emilou picked up on how stupid Franceska's Hollow Mask looked.

"How about you two sassy trollops go fuck yourselves?"

I tilted my head as I thought. "Hmm, that was an okay insult Mila. But because it only applies to Emilou I'm going to have to take points away for the plural. And next time don't regurgitate my words okay? It's adorable but not that creative."

"Tch, I'll get to putting you in your place later Sung-Sun, but for now..." Mila swung her head towards the cat. "Now that you're satisfied get the hell outta here! You're an eyesore."

Now I just _had_ to step in. "Oh come now Mila, there's no need to be distant from possible friends just because you're a little fat in comparison. Stop being so insecure!"

"Pfft-Ahahahaha! Yeah Mila. Might want to hold off on being more lonely than you are right now. You're pretty bitchy so maybe actually having someone to talk to will make you less of a pain to be around."

"See? Even Emilou's noticed it." I closed my eyes. "Honestly...you would be a hopeless savage without the magnanimous charity of Our Lady. Wandering the wastes and killing everything you saw...honestly." I shook my head and opened my eyes once again. "At least I talked to someone without killing them."

"Not to interrupt the circus but might I ask you to stop whatever it is your doing to my friends?"

I froze. And I wasn't the only one.

Me and Mila turned to the little black cat. The _worst_ sign of luck. Mila however, was more uncomprehending of just how threatening the little thing had suddenly become.

I tilted my head, looking down at the cat. "You mean... _those_ two friends...?" Did she know those two? But how? I already caught Kisuke and Yoruichi in my grasp, so how?! "Wait...I never did get your name. Don't you think you should at least give your own before you ask for mine?"

"If I do will you give me yours?" The black cat just sat there and calmly sassed me. Wagging it's tail and meeting my eyes, not a quiver of fear to be found in it's body.

Emilou spoke up, audibly hostile. "Hey didn't Sung-Sun just give you the name of that guy you wanted so bad? I think you owe her something!"

"Yes well...I suppose so. Your friend over here is-"

"Hey! Where the hell do you get off sayin' that I'm friends with _her!?_ "

I couldn't let that slide. "I know exactly what you mean Apacci, no one wants to be friends with you. The only charming trait you have is your insolence. And that's really not a good thing to have."

"You..." She seethed.

"I see, well my friends are called Kisuke and Tessai." Who?! "You see your kind of mooching off them, and they can't really handle that, so Tessai asked me to help stop you."

I burst in before those two could open their mouths. "And how are you going to do that?" I maintained my composure as best I could, yet actions spoke louder than words. Speaking before the rest may have been too suspicious, but I absolutely could not have those two rattle off names.

"Well...originally I was going to fight you all, as it is I'm going to have to handle the humans. So, if you please? Oh and...can you undo whatever it is you've done to the young man over there?" She pointed her paw at Ichigo, her paw smaller than Lady Harribel's hand, her paw that contained what I could only think of as too much power.

"Hmm..." I couldn't help but be glad I had yet to evolve, else I might be grinding my teeth with enough force to turn metal to dust.

"No."

At the sound of My Lady's words we all lashed out, myself being far more quicker on the draw. You see there was a reason I called my ability Serpientes Veneno Inexistente. It was because Veneno meant both poison and venom, and this little bitch was only immune to the one, so I was going to rip into her and find out just how much Spirit Energy really lay in that meatsack. My four fangs descended as my neck and body lunged for her, the remaining half tightening around the boy and yielding a scream of pain from him. Speaking of screaming...

"Graahh!"

"Rrrrah!"

"I'm gonna fucking kill you!" Woah Emilou, calm down.

As I screamed, my mouth about to crush her jaw I felt something happen in the back of my body, a slight shift happened inside. Must have been the child, I made for Yoruichi, my head sinking into where she was.

And eating dirt.

No meat or soggy fur to be tasted, just wet soil. I pieced it together and tightened my body as best as I could. But the lightness still remained.

I registered one child lighter.

I turned to see the cat with the woman's shirt in her tiny mouth and the Soul Chain having been slotted on her left paw, her paw having been small enough to slip through the chain link if done in the right way, thus dragging the meat and the soul of a child who still had my mark upon his left shoulder.

We all turned around, watching as she stood there with our ticket to freedom. "Well," She spoke around the blood soaked blouse in her mouth. "I have to be going now. Ta-ta." She disappeared, in a flash of movement too fast for the three of us to track, but Our Lady seemed to know where she went, head turning in another direction to track them.

"Dammit!" Emilou stomped on the ground, cratering it. Guess we knew where to bury that wretched furball at least.

"That wretched little- where did she go?!" Mila also started destroying the ground in rage. "How could you let that happen Sung-Sun?! You were holding onto him with your ass!"

"No I wasn't you imbecile! Her Majesty expressly forbade me from crippling him! What was I supposed to do?! Break every bone in his body?! Don't you pin this all on me you slacker!" I on the other hand was just in scathing disbelief.

Beaten by a filthy mutant midget...

"You were supposed to hold on tighter you fool!"

"That's enough." We turned towards Lady Harribel. "That was the tightest grip she could have had on him without breaking him. What happened was that she waited until Cyan's strike had blinded her to her opponent. It was then that she moved towards Ichigo and with a slight movement unlodged her grip on him. That cat possesses a Captains power level."

"Huh?!" We all stood in disbelief.

"You mean I was outwitted by a mutant animal and overpowered? That's even more embarrassing Lady Harribel!"

"Heh." Emilou gave a small yet hollow chuckle, clearly disoriented by the events that just happened. If it was any less hollow then she would have been disoriented by the beat down I would have given her.

"Relax Sung-Sun. Still...it is a bit tragic...what we just heard that is. Kisuke and Tessai huh? Then it's likely you forgot someone else as well."

I hung my head in shame, for once I failed in something when she desired a far different outcome. "I'm sorry Lady Harribel..."

The _thick skulled tool_ threw her head my way and barked. "You better be Sung-Sun! You let Lady Harribel down when she wanted that little bitch dead! You say that we can die in the future yet your forgetting people?!-" I metaphorically bit my tongue and weathered Mila's onslaught.

"Relax Mila. Sung-Sun forgets those who are less interesting than our most recent visitor." She turned towards the riverbank and observed the city. "If I'm correct, that may have just been Yoruichi herself. So in a fight Tessai will be the one we have to worry about the least. Sung-Sun, notify us when they start moving."

"Yes Ma'am."

"Wait!" Emilou yelled, like she usually did. "What about the brat? Is Sung-Sun getting anything from him?"

"Yes, my venom is unavoidable. He could go to the north pole for all it mattered and I would still have all his unused Spirit Energy coming to me until he was sucked dry."

"Woah? Really? Why don't you use it more?" Her entire tone and body language exuded wonder.

"Well no one really gets to live afterward, I typically crush their entire body once I bury my fangs somewhere soft. In fact, no one's lived after I used it on them since I killed them, so if Kisuke can't administer a cure to young Ichigo then I guess I'll figure out it's length."

"Woah..." Her head tilted as she stared at me. I was content to sit here and look beautiful for now, staring across the river, my body poised in the dried blood across the grass blades.

Did humans see me in the reflection of the water? I don't think so. But that question was the least of my problems.

After all it was my duty to excel in all tasks imposed on me by Lady Harribel. Yet to fail so...

Suffice to say, it was a very hard time for me to repent for my mistakes since everyone was focusing on the plan. But suddenly it became not so hard to make up for my mistakes after a sufficient amount of time passed. I didn't need to say anything, the reality bending object in the sky did all the talking.

Senkaimon...

"They've appeared. Sung-Sun?"

"Yes Ma'am." I sicked my power onto them. "There are three of them Master." I spread my power, capturing six Captains within it.

"Tch." Mila was clearly aggravated at the news but slowly calmed herself. Emilou was a bit more scared.

Something that Our Lady took notice of. "Are you afraid Emilou?" Said girl was about to reply when Tier continued speaking. "That's okay, it would be suicide to be confident in the face of this." The doors of the Senkaimon glowed yellow and began to move. "Even I'm not, I just won't accept our sacrifices when it will bring no purpose. As long as I still stand I will safeguard you all, look out for each other too. The Shinigami have clearly learned this, and that is why you feel that primal fear of yours. Savour it. Never forget it, because your instincts are serving you right. We simply can't take them on. Probably not even if we were Vasto Lorde. Never forget that fear, it will be the thing that saves you." The doors opened, three Captains, two of whom immediately started sizing us up. "Even as the third strongest Hollow in existence I wasn't enough, so never forget the wisdom in your instincts, it's impossible to win here, but it's possible for us to do something else, and that is why I will never settle for a sacrifice of ours to ever be meaningless-" All three Captains slowly started to descend. "I would like to say I will never have to settle for a sacrifice from any of you, but I am not nearly that foolish or idealistic, but I will do all I can. Just as the person besides you will." I could hear Emilou give a faint gasp.

The silver haired one...the one with longer hair that is, spoke up. "What do you think you're doing here?"

The flat chested woman spoke in a voice _remarkably similar_ to my own. "Why are you even bothering to ask Jushiro? No matter what they say we're going to kill them."

"Yes but don't you think the Captain Commander would like to know why they are here?"

"We can get that when we bring one of them to that freak Mayuri."

"Now Soifon, I know you may not like him but-"

"Honestly you two are unbelievable, just because we share the same station doesn't necessitate making friends." Her voice was like music to my ears, if surprisingly acidic in it's disciplining tone. One might mistake her for sounding scornful, or god forbid... _bitchy._

Jushiro sighed, leading to the other man to speak up. "Well...that's actually quite the shame." He frowned, his eyes still closed. "I want to be your friend Soifon, what about you Kira?"

Huh? All of us turned to see someone we somehow missed. How did? No, I had him in my power too was he just?...Forgettable? Whatever. "Ah-please don't involve me in this Sir, I'm...in your division for a reason." The dour man looked downwards.

I guess I just forgot him in the face of so many interesting and stronger characters. "Aw come on Izuru, I'm sure Soifon is perfectly willing to have friends. She just can't have a lot of opportunities what with her work an' all. I know!" The irritating man began to sound excited, his lips turning up into the sly grin it was before. "How about you become her Vice-Captain? I'll just fob hers off on Ukitake or Toshiro and take his Vice-Captain instead!"

"Sir...could you please...not? I'm actually getting kind of embarrassed over here." Izuru hung his head which almost put me in a laughing fit what with his Zanpakutō and all.

"Aw, come on Izuru! Why don't you practice talkin' to these three? Get your social skills up and ready for the Vice-Captain swap?"

"Uhh Sir I don't think-" Kira looked at the unchanging face of his Captain before finally turning to us. "Attention Hollows, your presence here is-"

"No no Kira, that's not how you talk to people. Here, like this-"

The only blonde male I've ever actually seen in my lifetime became incredibly flustered, gaining some colour in his cheeks and some energy to go with it. "But Sir! The reason we're here is to wipe them out!"

Jushiro gave them an exasperated smile. I gave a beaming one, tilting my head down in order to hide it. That was when I started funneling some power over to Mila and Apacci, who gave me a look, the former saw Emilou stare at me and wisely aborted the head movement so as not to give anything away.

This literally could not be going better, these complacent _fools_ were just _standing around like tools!_ And I loved it! Jushiro spoke up. "I'm glad your relations with your Lieutenant are so tight, mine are too actually. What about yours Soifon?"

"He's garbage." Okay, now the scorn was audible, as was irritation. "If we're going to swap Lieutenants then make it convenient for my timetable. Fat tub of lard can barely handle any hard work and the upcoming month is going to be full of it. So hurry up and start arranging it when we get back. Shunsui and Mayuri are going to complain for too long." Wow. No banter from her two colleges. She really shut things down. She turned to us, her long braids swinging minutely as she did so, accidentally showcasing the large golden rings at the end of them. "Now you, what are you doing here? Speak, or be destroyed!"

"And why bother when answering will kill us anyway?" Mila was the one who spoke.

"Because it's also the answer to whether you want a painless death or not." She smirked. "Tell us and maybe you won't end up on Mayuri's dissection table. None of you may be frogs but I'll go ahead and assume the threat still carries the same weight."

"Oh yeah?! Well how about you come down here so I can show you where to shove those words, along with my hoof!" Emilou was obviously the one to say that.

Soifon's smirk stuck firmly on her face. "Hm, you're a bold one aren't you? Then let's see how long that bravado of yours can last." She didn't even draw her sword, she just charged at us at a speed we could follow with our eyes.

And then Our Lady came to our defence, flashing in front of her and forcing the woman to draw her short sword. Soifon was clearly off balance where Our Lady stood strong. "I'm afraid you'll have to get through me if you want to hurt my comrades."

"Sir?" Izuru looked at his superior.

Said man sighed. "Well I suppose a job is a job. I guess you can join in if you want Izuru, you did persist on coming here after all."

"Yes Sir!" Kira and Jushiro came at us all, Gin consciously going much slower.

"Rragh"

"Hrrahh!"

"Rrrrrhh!" A normal warcry from Apacci for once.

As Mila charged Soifon Jushiro backed his fellow Captain, charging at Her Majesty's left as Kira charged at Emilou with a solemn expression. I went with Apacci to wipe him out quickly so we could gather around Her Majesty.

Just before reaching him I saw Soifon kick at Lady Harribel, only to widen her eyes when that had no effect. "I'm afraid you won't find me easy prey when I'm fighting for a cause." Saying this she kicked her opponent in the stomach with her right leg sending her flying away, and as she braced herself for Ukitake she slammed her sword arm down onto his Zanpakutō. Visibly bringing him to his knees and cratering the ground beneath them. Dirt flying everywhere with enough force to tussle Izuru's hair.

Emilou turned to me. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be helping Lady Harribel? Uh, I mean-"

"I'm helping you so we can get this fool out of the way and alleviate Lady Harribel's concerns and pressures." Whether she was concerned or not wasn't something I really knew if it was true or not, but just in case...

Izuru tightened his grip on his Zanpakutō.

 **"Shoot To Kill, Shinsō."**

All three of us turned to Gin as he achieved first release and extended his sword towards Lady Harribel. We watched as his Zanpakutō extended towards her as she held down Jushiro. Repositioning her sword she aimed to fling him at the sword through sheer strength, but then Soifon Flash Stepped behind Lady Harribel. This wouldn't actually be a major cause for concern since Harribel's outfit was actually armor. I don't know how but it was, and the only part open was a part of her face. Unfortunately Soifon was an assassin, so such a thing didn't bother her.

"Get away from her you hussy!"

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

6817 words or so if you ignore all this. Phew, I kinda wanted to just cram the fight in here but I felt like I kept you waiting long enough, I kind of want to give myself an excuse to take even more time off, because frankly a lot of the waiting was just sloth keeping me behind.

I have no fucking idea how to spell Soifon by the way. All these ō's make me freak the hell out man, I got no idea if there's a space or a dash in between dude. I freak out a little every time one of my favourites comes up. So it's been about month huh? You thought I was joking but I wasn't! Well it only gets worse. But I have to say, for a chapter that's all original content I did pretty damn well getting it out as quick as I did.

God I kinda wanted to turn it into a 11000 word epic. But I did keep you waiting long enough.

So about Kisuke and friends knowing about Sung-Sun's ability before these three did...that's because they got the skills to pay the bills.

Kisuke, Tessai, and Yoruichi. All of whom dabble intensely in Kidō, and are thus more sensitive to it. These three aren't at their level yet, and aren't quite specialized enough.

By the way, someone mentioned using Orihime for stuff that makes a lot of sense, but then he said to fix Nel's mask. Would that actually work? I'm not sure if she'd just get wiped from existence. Sounds like it from what I know, but I'm not an expert at this.


	11. Chapter Eleven: Eleventh String

I looked at the sword. The sword that was inches from my eye.

The plan we went over before they came didn't include this. It only made sure not to give any of our knowledge away, a plan that provided ways to dodge certain questions with something else, a plan that recapped things.

Quite frankly she was surprised it took them this long. For Captains of the Seireitei they were unbelievably lax. Especially Gin.

Harribel looked at the sword too close to her eye and aborted her sword movements. Jushiro had already recovered anyway, it was already unlikely that he would have been hit by Ichimaru's Zanpakutō, now it was questionable if he would be sent flying. So instead she kept her sword where it was, serving to put an end to any offense from Jūshirō and tilted her head before driving it down on the sword of Soifon.

She heard the woman gasp as her sword cut her forehead before being firmly lodged into the headband that covered her forehead. With Soifon's sword immobilized by her Hollow Mask she kicked Jūshirō in the gut, throwing him away and guarding against Shinsō's strike with her blade.

After a quick calculation she shifted herself to the left as well, Mila's charge would probably be stopped by the Captain's kick, but by swinging the body of both her and her enemy there would be a small moment in time to strike her with a backhand.

True to her own vision Mila's charge was met with a kick to the face, but the Captain's body was now open for a strike as her body was swung forth by the force. Giving a firm backhand into the slender woman's side she watched and felt the body fly across her back. Now came the tricky part of her stunt.

Shinsō was barreling towards both of them, but mere movements of the body would not be enough for friendly fire. With Soifon so close to her, her grip on her trapped Zanpakutō being ironclad, she stopped guarding with her sword and prepared to misdirect Shinsō's strike instead.

Out of her line of sight Soifon's eyes widened and Gin frowned in surprise. Knowing what Tier was doing the Captain threw her foot at Gin's extended Zanpakutō to arrest her momentum as the man tried to stop it.

Too late, the woman grunted as her armpit was cut open by her peer. Shinsō having stopped too late to stop itself from hurting its ally. Even if it kept extending it wouldn't have drawn the blood of the enemy.

As the blade started to retract Soifon struggled to drag her Zanpakutō out from her Mask's grip only to fail, and as the Captain kicked her in the back of the head Mila made another surprise entrance.

"I said...GET AWAY FROM HER!" Mila roared as she charged at the Captain.

Charging with both car crushing paws and teeth ready to maim in the name of Her Lady she aimed straight for the Captain's lower half.

"Tsk, not a fan of learning are you?" She lifted her foot from the Vasto Lorde's head when she got close enough and kicked Mila in the side of the head. This would send the Hollow spinning to the side, letting her plant her legs on the Vasto Lorde's back to execute a maneuver to release her sword from captivity.

But it didn't happen like it did last time. Mila's left paw smashed into the Captain's hips, cutting into meat and smashing hairline fractures into her body, the only saving grace was that the kick saved her from both teeth and another paw finding bloody purchase in her body.

Still, Mila wasn't sent spiraling away as the Captain hoped which meant she'd rear around and start striking with impunity.

"Byakurai!" Blue lightning flung itself from Jūshirō's hands. "Soifon? What's happening!?"

"Grk, she's getting stronger somehow! Put her down!"

"On it!"

Harribel didn't retort, she was a taciturn woman, and dealing with the incoming strike from Gin's Zanpakutō was worthy of some exertion. Especially since the Captain finally got her act together and placed both of her knees on her back, allowing the woman to draw her Zanpakutō from its trap, carving out a bloody gash of skin as it did so. With the Captain no longer locked by her Mask there was no need to stand here and absorb the blows, using Sonido to get out the way was a temporary solution, but better than just standing there.

Gin carved a furrow into the land with his missed strike before frowning and casually walking closer.

The Captain across from her huffed as she caught her breath. "Not just her, but you as well." She caught her breath again in a matter of moments. "Just what's going on? What are you doing? Is this some kind of ability of yours?"

"How underwhelming. So this is all a Captain amounts too." The rain continued to pour as Tier spoke. "You haven't shown any martial might worthy of concern, nor have you shown any wits to close the overwhelming power gap that already existed between us. If you keep this lax then you'll sustain unnecessary damage for no good cause."

The Captain did not take her sensible recommendation with good grace. "Don't get too cocky now."

"I'm not nearly so foolish." She narrowed her eyes at the Captain of Squad Two. "Your power is being limited. No matter to what extent it is being suppressed by you should all be putting up a better show than this, I'm not even trying. If this is you at twenty percent then you may as well go all out right now. I could still kill one of you in a duel if you cease being this weak, as it is none of you can hurt me."

"Oh yeah? And what about that gift I gave to your forehead?"

"Meaningless, in a world full of murder, sacrifice, and endless fighting this means nothing. Do you think I can feel this graze? That my vision is impeded? If so then there is no need to waste time on you, your comrade is currently more of a threat than you are. You couldn't even cut me to my bone when you had a shot a my weakness. All you can give me is superficial damage. My subordinates can handle you." She turned her back flying towards Jūshirō, a diversion since her true aim was really Gin in a manner of speaking.

 **"Hang Your Head, Wabisuke!"**

As Gin's Vice-Captain used his Shikai to defend himself Soifon turned to the other Captain.

"Gin! What are you doing?! Are you just standing there?!"

At Soifon's words he really did pause in the air and tilt his head quizzically. "What? I'm moving closer that's all, my Zanpakutō is only in it's Shikai, and god forbid I strike with it at range anytime soon. I did cut you right?"

"Why are you just standing there!? Hurry up and start moving!"

"Why? What's the rush Soifon? I'll get there eventually."

"You..."

"Argh! Fuck! My hoof! You little bastard!"

I looked at Izuru. Here's a quick status report; he's bleeding and going to be feeling his broken bones for a while to come. "Can you feel it? My Zanpakutō steadily bringing you closer to the earth? Closer to death as you limb becomes overcome by its own weight?"

"Are you trying to call me fat fucker?! I'm gonna fucking smash that sword up your ass like your bait on a fishing hook!"

Poor Kira looked very confused. "I'm not sure your insult came out completely right Emilou, but I can certainly imagine what your saying." I tilted my head up and to the side. "So how long do you think you can keep this up? I can go all day, even that Zanpakutō of yours can't beat me in a battle of attrition. I've always fought those."

The blond man only cast that solemn look of his at us. I thought he wouldn't say anything since he was unusually quiet in comparison to everyone else but he surprised me this time. "You just don't get it do you? Do you think you can honestly escape three Captains? That's simply impossible. Especially against my Captain and the Second Division Captain herself. You must be insane." The rain did some rather interesting things to his looks by the way. That look on his face mixed with the way his blood seeped into the ground as he held his Zanpakutō was simply marvelous. It did look like a hook by the way, one with no curves however. Speaking of that sword...

It doubled the weight of whatever it hit.

Here's the S-S dilemma: Attack and evolve or don't?

I had no way of knowing if its effect would carry over evolution itself but should I chance it? Well, let's be real here I did need to pull my weight, especially with that hit against Emilou's leg.

To hold back so...even with Appaci's knowledge of its capabilities it would be impossible to have dodged that counter attack of his. Staying in his base form to learn a fighting style...whatever.

"Grrrr, I'm gonna show you what insanity looks like when I gore you with my horn and crush the life out of you with my feet! You hear me fucker!? Your last words are gonna be about how painful it is to drown in your own blood and failure!"

Oh my, she was serious about that. "That's a shame Emilou, he's actually the first man I can tolerate. Oh well, whatever I suppose..."

"You like this hunk'a shit?! Well how about you get hit and-!"

I moved to her right, as Izuru charged at us. There really wasn't much left now, enough for me to consider a reckless assault, but I staved the impulse off and tried to threaten him with a pincer. In a manner of speaking I did.

He switched targets and charged at me instead, guess I would be disappointed in him if he thought Emilou could mount a proper offensive with that leg of hers.

I hissed at him as I prepared to coil around him, presenting both tail and head to attack. As he charged at me bringing his sword to bear on my mask I batted him with my tail only for him to swat at it. Not an unfamiliar dance with this one, I withdrew my tail as I had done a few times fighting this man, but then I decided I had enough, I threw myself at him and prepared to bite the dirt.

Just as expected he dodged, jumping backwards into the air and preparing a Kidō as retaliation. "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south! Shakkahō!" As the pillar of red came to crash down on me I noticed he didn't look back.

That made Emilou's Cero all the greater when it hit the fool. After firing one red beam of his own he got hit by a much better one. It put a smile on my face. "Arghhh!" Ah, screams of pain were so nice when they weren't so freakishly high pitched anymore.

Now about that Shakkahō he's planning on hitting me with...well...I feel like just standing here and letting it hit me. It would serve as an excellent prelude as to what was going to happen next.

As the pitiful Kidō that was about as long as my body came at me I began to glow.

Was this what molting felt like? To shed my skin? I think I recall hating it as a pitiful human, but that's no surprise, all humans are unbearably stupid. All present turned to regard me...my enemies with wide eyes...

The world dissolved into light...

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

As I descended from the air in my new form I clenched my hands and felt the sensation of wind across skin, rather than scales. I boldly thrust out my chest and felt the wind bless my face and hair with its presence.

And then I began to sing.

"S is for Screw-Up, the only title you'll ever own, U is for Upheaval, the thing I'll do to your government, N for Natural Disaster, that's me on a bad day, G is for Genocide, upon your kind I'll bestow, now allow me to reprise..." I took a deep breath of _sweet sweet air_ and began. "S is for Shooting-Shark, the master of all, U is for Ultimate just look at what I've become! And N is for Narcissism, my most lovely trait." I chuckled. "My name is Cyan Sung-Sun, and I'd like to say...hello." I stretched my leg and unclenched my hand. "You know, I thought about adding Savant at the last S but I'm not that autistic. Servant? Perhaps, but I'm a slave to love before anything else." I stretched my other leg, pulling up the right one by its ankle as I lifted it behind my back. " _Hmm..._ that feels fantastic, you lucky little scamps had these all along? Greedy. So...who wants to fight? Not my favourite pastime but I do need to break this new body in. Just to be sure, you know how it is." I looked around, moving my head to scan my surroundings. "Hmm...not often I do something other than tilt my head so this is new. Oh?" I drank in his wide eyes and trembling body and giggled, a delightfully lovely sound. Better than laughter or chuckling. "Hmhmhmhm, well...looks like someone's spine got ejected from their rear at a record pace didn't it? Y'know Kira, that look _really_ suits you. Stay like that...for me?" I tilted my head and gave a smile, feeling the wind caress my soft skin. I stretched my arm. "In a world of sociopaths and psychos I have to say I'm doing pretty well for myself, does anyone have a mirror by the way? My Hollow Mask was already small to begin with." I tilted my head to the right with force. "Ah lovely, still have the beads. They feel different though, well whatever. So...who's next? Because Kira clearly can't do anything anymore."

"How?!" She bursted at me. "How can you do that?! No, that's impossible! You can't be the cause of those two getting stronger can you? Your records never shown you having your ability perform so strongly before!"

I looked to her, smile on my face as the rain fell across a portion of my face. "Hey Soifon, doing well over there? Because I'm fantastic. Hmm, why do you sound like me so much?" I aggressively moved my head once again, seeing long locks of flowing olive green hair. "Well...that's odd, our voices are identical and yet we have no physical traits that are alike...hmm...questions for later." I kicked into the air. Damn did it feel nice to Kick About.

"You..."

"Yes yes, my ability. To be frank I can't fault you for your surprise, even I questioned whether I could evolve from it...guess you know the answer now hmm? As for why I've recovered so quickly from evolving I don't know, perhaps it's because my size hasn't changed much?" I cocked one thin beautiful eyebrow at her. "Oh? Is this an eyebrow? Huh? I think I like them. Nice hair by the way. For the both of us." I rested my left arm across my body. "That hair can probably be done in a lot of ways, but I'm a fan of that look. Especially the braids." Seriously, they were so long and done up with beautiful white cloth with a golden hoop at the end.

"Hey, you slut! Hurry up and pass me some more so I can get rid of this weight!"

I ignored Apacci and continued talking to Soifon. "So, anymore questions?"

"...You still didn't answer my question." She held her sword up in a unique manner. I think I knew where this was going.

"Shikai? Go ahead and attain First Release if you want, you're not going to be a challenge even in that. Except...I know who you're going to hit with that." I used Sonido to reach her and and assault her right arm with both my own. "Now about my ability, all abilities evolve when you do." Saying that I stabbed her in the elbow.

Pulling the sai from my sleeve I stabbed her right in the elbow. Watching as her teeth grit and her eyes bulged a little.

And for the finishing touch I leaned in to kiss her on the corner of her lips.

And then I kicked her right into a small house.

I turned around and stared across the river bank. "Hmm...I really do like this rural town, it has its charm points. There's a time and a place for everything however." I glanced at him out the corner of my eye, that man I hated irrationally. "You're next. For some reason I truly do detest you, as a matter of fact..." I covered my mouth with the sleeve of my left arm. "I'm certain you're some kind of pervert. So I'm going to beat you just for that alone."

Gin's eyes widened. "My my, that's a surprise."

 **"All waves, rise up and become my shield!"** I looked at Jūshirō from the corner of my eye. **"Lightning, strike now and become my blade! Sōgyo no Kotowari!"** So...that was a First Release hmm? Certainly stood out more than Gins tiny dagger. And then I was greeted with words from behind me.

 **"Gentei Kaijo!"**

It was then I felt my power be diminished drastically. The pool that I can draw from having shrunk by a large margin now that eighty percent of her power was no longer suppressed. I moved to the left as I felt her coming at me, I saw her Shunpo at me with her weapon drawn. With left hand covering my mouth with its enormous sleeve I lifted my right foot of the ground and prepared to counterattack with my right arm. Her dominant hand was her left which made defending a little queer for me, but as she drew closer I twisted the wrist of my right arm to the left and shot my hand from the sleeve.

My plan is to catch the blade on the middle prong and have it fall into it's trap and retaliate then. It almost worked.

As her blade landed where I needed to I realised that she knew I'd do this. She wielded her sword sideways, having the cutting edge face the prong. She put all muscles in her arm to use so that I couldn't retaliate with my newfound weapon. As I watched this in slow motion I saw her right hand come for my stomach.

Quickly guarding with my right knee I headbutted her in turn and started to smash her left elbow with my fist only for her to kick me in the solar plexus with her other leg and uppercut me with her knee.

"Mhgn." I couldn't help but let out that groan of pain. Now it would be a question of who retreats first, such a thing would be decided by how long it took us to get back in position.

But I was fighting a professional and she a killing machine made by a world of constant combat of life risking takes. I slipped my right knee around her hand and trapped her hand with my leg. I tried to force the sai to stab into her back but she was too strong, so I kept hammering away at her left elbow with my fist.

Now she only had one limb left...one that she landed on. I wondered what she was doing, until with a movement too quick to see she had placed her free leg behind me and tripped me up, all I could see was the elbow I kept punching drop towards my face.

It really wasn't okay to have a spine shattering hit get concentrated all on your nose. If she elbow dropped a truck then that truck would explode.

But then I saw past the pain and moved my face, as her elbow began to lift up I decided to take a bet and actually stay still and take the hit. And there it was, her elbow dropping to smash my teeth in. Why, let's open our mouth to help her shall we?

As her elbow was inches away from smashing into my mouth I spread my jaws further and bit into her skin. Sharp teeth, sharper than normal, shred into her skin allowing my power seeping into her very soul. _There we go..._

Her elbow still smashed my teeth though. Lovely.

I yanked my right leg, shifting her body enough for me to kick her with said leg. Putting as much force as I could into it I launched myself away from her, her Zanpakutō and my sai smoothly unlocking along with any other limbs.

I was the one to retreat, she just stood there and got her balance back eventually standing up and smirking at me.

"Well..." I began. "Now things have finally gotten interesting." I held out my right arm and clenched my hand into a fist. "You fight with your fists Hm?" I lowered my left hand from my mouth. "I can tell, any other person would have backed off at the initial few strikes. Even your friends over there," I pointed at them with my left arm, wrist specifically, letting the long sleeves dangle downwards. "Especially the longer haired fellow." I brought my wrist back to my cover my mouth. "By the way, is he sick? Either I'm seeing things or his eye colour keeps changing from brown to green."

"Hmph, I didn't hit you that hard in the head did I?" My jaw was still smarming from the uppercut actually. "But your right, anyone else would have retreated and eaten your knee. Just like you ate my elbow." She rotated for emphasis, still smirking all the while.

 _Yes, spectacular! Keep talking so I can drain you!_ "Yes well, had to retaliate didn't I? But if you want..." I brought back my right arm. Resting the elbow on my hip and letting the rest of my arm dangle near my groin. "I can eat another part of you?" I leaned forward with wider eyes. "It doesn't have to hurt either, I can be as gentle as you want..." I slowly gave her bedroom eyes as my sentence continued.

"Well someone's got an awfully obvious tendency. But if you don't mind I've got something else to do..." She raised her Zanpakutō grasping it with her right hand. Not the fastest thing since Gin's armpit slice and the rest of the damage slowed her down. But the result was the same, her Zanpakutō glowed and shortened itself to one small weapon on one digit of her hand.

 **"Sting All Enemies To Death,** **Suzumeb** **achi!"**

A gauntlet formed on her hand, a stinger placed on one digit as the weapon took on a black and gold paintjob. My reply to a weapon that would kill me if I let it touch me twice?

"Nice middle finger." Yes, her Zanpakutō really did form entirely on her middle finger. It was twice as long as her finger too, made me wish I had something similar for a moment.

How would such a weapon work for me with my sleeve though? Never mind, meaningless trivia.

"Hmph. You certainly don't have a shortage of compliments today? What is this? Some sort of begging for mercy tactic?"

"Oh, I could be begging for something else other than mercy. I'm mearly grateful, look at me." I tilted my head upwards and shown off select parts of me using my right hand to emphasize. My breasts, my hips, I even traced parts of my face. "How could I not be thankful for what you've done? Especially since you've given me all this power. Not only you but the power I attained when I became Vasto Lorde. I'm filled with nothing but gratitude right now." I slid my hands across the heart shaped scales that lay in between the valley of my bosom before fingering the black fur growing around my neck. Apart from that black fur my entire assemble was white. The heart scales standing out more simply because they did not reflect light unlike the rest of my dress, which were made of smaller scales that reflected the light somewhat. The heart scales were even larger too, serving as makeshift armor.

How odd, to wear your own skin...

"If you're really feeling so gracious then lay down your weapon and die. Or come in for questioning at the hands of Mayuri."

"Not that grateful, but I do owe you a favour of some kind. But there will never be anything you can do for me that will get me to even slightly inconvenience Lady Harribel."

She stopped smirking now, removing all playful airs. "Oh? That's a shame, so is this another tactic of yours? That woman is clearly stronger than you even now. Are you afraid of disappointing her? Afraid she'll come kill you the moment you stop feeding her power?"

I felt the wind move my hair back and forth as I stared at her. "No. Not even slightly." I couldn't help but tip my head downwards as I looked at her. "I can't help but find it odd that you'd even say that."

"Oh?"

"I get the feeling you know the relationship between her and I already. You know its not something that can be explained with mere words. If I'm not wrong, you too live for someone else's sake. So why?..."

That definitely wiped all the playfulness from her body. "I see." She gritted it out her teeth. "Well if we're done talking, then consider yourself cut off." She raised her Zanpakutō, but not at me, but at herself instead, as her Zanpakutō descended towards her collarbone my eyes widened in horror.

 _No..._

 _Stop at once you insolent wretch or I'll-!_

 _I'll-!_

Her Zanpakutō marked her skin, leaving behind a tattoo of a butterfly.

"You... _bitch._ "

She smirked. "Consider yourself cut off."

"I can't believe you, I thought only I could be so grudgeful." I took a deep breath and watched her with half lidded eyes, beautiful eyelashes of mine making themselves prominent. "Do you know what I hate the most? Meaningless action and wasted effort. What you've just done is only a bother. A pain in the rear, but the result is still the same you neanderthal!" Spite was evident by my tone. "So why would you force Her Majesty to waste time fighting your two spastic companions?! Such... _disrespect._ " I looked down at her. Filthy degenerate was like a termite trying to eat at the house I was constructing for Milady. I took a deep breath, and although tempted to, did not close my eyes. Her ability was too dangerous and herself far too fast and skilled to let me get away with that.

"Meaningless huh? Then let me rectify that." The smirk was back on her face and outputting smugness like Aizen outputs one liners.

I didn't bother moving towards her. Instead I did some mental arithmetics.

Looking at the land in front of me I could determine where Emilou and Mila was in proximity to myself.

So, looking right at my enemy I did two things; "Lady Harribel, Mila! Look out!" Saying this I used Sonido to reach Emilou and then began charging a Cero. I could behold the fading afterimage as I charged my Cero and held my hand in between the direction of Lady Harribel and myself, ready to fire at a moments notice. In the heat of the moment I looked at the dark tall grass on our side and saw nothing move, so, risking it all I committed to facing My Lady's direction. I turned to see them see the fading image of the Second Division Captain.

But My Lady already saw what I had seen.

Lady Harribel regarded Jūshirō and Soifon wearily, but I blasted my Cero at Gin Ichimaru instead. To any other person this was dumber than Emilou.

But as I turned I already saw the mark forming on Jūshirō's right hand. So I turned to the airborne Captain that was still lazily stabbing at My Master with his Zanpakutō. As the bright pink orb formed in front of my right hand, past the sleeve I fired it with my left hand.

My Cero, thicker than my head and torso combined and taller than my torso...

The sky exploded into a bright pink beam.

Unbeknownst to anyone, young Ichigo beheld this and spasmed in phantom pain, recalling the pink fangs that left an acidic scar on his body.

Indeed. The boy would be scarred by her strike. Somehow it would find its way onto his body and stay with him for all of his life. Four dots in his shoulder, all of them the size of an eye.

He saw awesome power and was frightened, as young boys in his situation ought to be. He could only feel hopeless despair, as all young children in his situation should do. All he could do was curl up and cry as the chain hurt him so.

As the world hurt him so.

As it took one of the only things he cared about.

He would almost forget this, the tears in his eye making the scene blurry.

Any other child would have, mother dead, soul removed from his body, agonizing trauma and a barren household...he could still see her.

Gazing at mothers empty eye sockets, the soul having left them so long ago even with the dead rolling flesh there. It just didn't make sense to the young boy, how such horrific tragedy's could come so quickly after the other.

Young Ichigo would grow up hating the phrase "double whammy." He would grow up hating how people say you could never look away from a trainwreck.

Even as he watched his mothers skull bounce from each hit on the concrete...

As she lost a bit of skin...

He knew unimaginable pain. Enough for no morbid curiosity to remain within him.

If there was any solace in this...it was that he never remembered anything about his beloved mother being hurt or desecrated by the world anymore after she somehow died.

Rain, he would hate the rain so.

But he would hate something else.

As Yoruichi passed a certain store he could hear a song.

Little Dark Age, as she ran past he could somehow understand the language spewing from the vandalized shop of mirrors.

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

 **MGMT - Little Dark Age.** I thought the song would fit really well with the whole monster under the bed theme. I wrote the ending while listening to said song actually.

 **POST SCRIPT TIME!** Then we'll do an omake.

Wrote this on the Eighth of November by the way. Edited it on Eleventh, same month.

Tell me of grammatical errors and such. Meant to finish this fight this chapter, damn.

"Yet also still caring for not only Harribel and her companions but child Ichigo-" That. Was the funniest thing I've read in a long time. I had her all geared up to smash his mum into little parts and slap him with her womb but okay. You were right about valuing him as a weapon though. But you can bet your keyboard I'm exploring the relationship between them soon. I think you may know a part of how she feels about him though.

5000 words by last count. Albeit I haven't actually edited yet as of writing this. By the way Gentai Kaijo isn't Zanpakutō related. It's just Limiter Removal. Just felt like doing it in bold.

 **Lambda** (?) brought it to my attention that Squad 13 had a finger in Karakura by the way. Nice save on that one. I planned to put Byakuya in his stead. Really should have swapped Gin and Kaname around though.

 **T-B-R** , thank you for your comments, but no Espada smashin' powers coming from him today. And I try with the quips man, I admit I thought it'd be harder to come up with them but not so. Perhaps that's a sign I'm dipping into my language rather than hers...

 **Hallow**! Been a while man. Do you want either of those? I just want to know which one you prefer. Y'know with the whole arrogance bit? It's a shame you've been busy lately dude. I really did think putting failure in italics would highlight her feelings. But I will expand on why she can be considered an anti-hero in future chapters.

How do you like my TFS reference? I wrote down the original song and saw it spelled PERFECT. I decided Cyan was too short and so I rearranged it to spell out SUNG-SUN instead. The dash I put in both of the S's was to...well...point out the dash in her name. Jūshirō almost had his sickness brought up by her power rather than the eyes. I brought it up the way I did as a nod to the trivia on Jūshirō.

Speaking of trivia I need to make an omake chapter of some kind. I missed the last chapter after all! Guess a Shinigami daydream becomes a 4000 long word joke chapter...

Hey...

Wouldn't it be funny if Orihime's brother saw that Cero and something happened?

Wouldn't it?

Wouldn't it?

Omake time!

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

I rested my legs on the table, feeling long locks of great brown hair fall across my back as I leaned back on the chair. "Phew, I'm wiped. I'm not the only one getting tired of crushing all these bugs am I?"

"No Mila, we're all pretty tired of it. They should send that fool Aaroniero at them." Sung-Sun dropped her hand from her mouth and took a sip of tea. "It's honestly bothersome they send us to take on mere Hollows, don't you think Emilou?"

"I dunno what you two are talkin' 'bout. Don't you two find it funny as all hell?" I snorted and started massaging my leg.

"I don't know about that, I don't wear blood as well as you two can."

Emilou and Sung-Sun turned to me and gave me a weird look. I couldn't help but give my legs and hands a weird look too.

"You know...of all things you have said your skin has to be the most unbelievable one. And you've even predicted the future."

I just gave a hopelessly confused look at my knee as I took in Cyan's words.

"Yeah, and that's _really_ saying something. Are ya' sure you were white? Cuz I'm not seeing it."

I snorted. "Fuckin' funny Apacci. And I swear I was! I don't know why this shit happened but I was white when I was alive!"

"Listen to yourself Rose, nobody can die so badly they lose their race twice over. Hollow and then African American? All that future knowledge must have knocked something loose in your head."

"Rrrggggghh, shut up! I'm not insane! But why did this crap happen?"

"If you're that curious then just go to that creep Granz."

I crooked my eyebrow at Appaci. "And just like that I've lost all my curiosity...but seriously..."

I could feel those two roll their fuckin' eyes at me. Smarmy cunts, and to think...

My birthday? What the hell? Why'd that pop up in my head? Well...it was in August, the 18th to be...

No it was the eighth right?

"Oh fuck." I held my hands to the side of my head. "Oh I'm fucked in the head, how the hell do I not know my own birthday? Rgh, fuck!"

"Oh wow Sung-Sun, you were actually right."

"Oh, I didn't even think I was right, well that's concerning."

Fuck! Did I pull the extra number out of nowhere? Do I add or take away that ten? "Rrrraaghh!" I smashed the table with my hands. What the hell was this?!


	12. Dimming Attention

Upon my awakening I felt so glorious. Now I was smaller. Now...now I could sensually molest Lady Harribel.

But apart from my newfound ability to sexually express my feelings, I could also feel differences that occurred in my new body.

And as I stared at that smug charlatan I knew I'd have to explore those if I wanted to calm down again. But I was unbelievably livid when I had to remove my power from the three Captains in front of me.

As flashes of realization came across their faces I did my best to calm down and not look like a fool.

I simply enjoyed the sensation of moving. My left hand stayed guarding my mouth. I made no noise and moved as much of myself as I could. Rolling my shoulders, bending my spine, moving my hips in ways that made all the movements comfortable. It was the way I moved in my last life, like a strange dancer whose dance was all about making mistakes and then recovering from them in a graceful and sensuous way. Anyone would have made mistakes moving like I did. Even Yoruichi would have stumbled. Moving my left leg too far forward than the rest of the moving parts and moving spine could handle, only to recover making a larger movement forward than a regular step could have, while also being combat ready to intercept and dodge attacks from all directions. There wasn't a single movement where I wasn't beautiful, sinuous, loose-limbed or lithe. Such movements went well with my rather lissom body as I had found out.

It wasn't enough.

I looked at that woman, my hair now dampened by the rain.

It was over, I could feel nothing from the three Captains if I cast my power over them. That woman and her Zanpakutō Suzumebachi...

I had forgotten it was poisonous, I suppose then that this was yet another successful use of pyrotherapy. That irritating woman...my counter.

I looked at her as she Flash Stepped out the way of my Cero, leaving that fool to take the heat.

For her damn Zanpakutō to have a counter poison...

"Unbelievable." I could see her smirk as she somehow heard me from up there.

I really should learn how to do that, standing on midair would be nice. Wouldn't have to walk on this crappy mud I was standing on.

I lifted a foot by an inch and formed a platform of Reishi. Now that I had it down I did it for the other foot, it was still odd to do it with legs though.

"What? Can't understand what's going on? Heh, you-"

"I already know what you've done, that Zanpakutō of yours is also poisonous. If you want to take that smug tone then I'll have to politely ask you direct those comments at my slower minded companions." I interrupted her, but even then she still had that catty grin on her face.

"So they don't even know what's going on?"

"Mila might."

"Heh. Jūshirō, do you think you can handle those Adjucha?"

All people present tuned out whatever Emilou and Rose were probably shouting. But looking at Rose I could see some cuts, they seemed thin thankfully. "Yes, me and Gin will be enough to handle them, but what about you Soifon?" He quirked a worried eyebrow at her.

"I'm alright, I can handle these Vasto Lordes." That insufferable smirk only grew in size.

"I don't like the implication in that Captain." I addressed her. "Do you mean to imply that you're a match for Her Majesty? If so, then it's imperative that I trample your life and pride underfoot. I'd provide an example, except Kira seems to have gone missing." I looked at Emilou out the corner of my eye.

"Tch, I was gonna kill him but that silver haired creep came an' rescued him."

"I see, well it is what it is." I looked at that insufferable woman right in the eye. "Well you'll feel what I'm going to do to you for that comment."

"Sung-Sun, don't get carried away, she's become stronger since her Shikai was activated."

"Yes Milady. But..." I glared at Soifon. "An insult like that simply cannot go unpunished." This had become a test for me.

A test where my life and pride was on the line. Unlike every other fight before this one I had nothing to fight for, no one to fight for. Now it meant so much more, failing this would have me desperate to take up sword swallowing. Except I would insure it was botched.

If I couldn't handle this trash, this village idiot who insulted Lady Harribel then I had no use to the world.

"Be that as it may Sung-Sun, we can fight her together."

At her words I closed my eyes for a full second. I could hear her Sonido towards my side to prepare for the upcoming fight.

Although I'd much rather it become a personal battle I would never miss a chance to fight with My Lady. "Yes Ma'am, we will put her in her place."

In a much quieter voice Lady Harribel spoke to me. "Is your venom still in Ichigo?"

I closed my eyes for a second. "No, my apologies My Lady but I wasted it on Soifon. I can only have my venom in one person, so right now I'm reduced to just the poison. I'm sorry."

"It's no problem, cut the power you're sending to me and send it to someone else." I would refuse but Soifon charged at us.

With left hand covering mouth I simply held up my right hand to show my sai, letting the bone white material of its blade to make itself clear, I put my right foot in front of the other and positioned my body to guard Lady Harribel's left. I had no doubt that she could still protect herself even without her pata there, but still...

Soifon wasn't so fast that I couldn't see her but I knew the afterimage I was seeing as she moved was a sort of lie. Lag for the eyes as it were. But I still stuck to the defence. As she came at us Lady Harribel swung at her forcing the woman to go left into my already swinging weapon.

Unfortunately I was too slow to see that my left prong was the only thing to hit anything, and it was blocked by her Zanpakutō as well, all too late did I see her fist coming at me. I stepped to Tier's side, keeping back to back with her and entertaining that Zanpakutō as best as I could. I spied a chain that connected the gauntlet to the weapon on her finger and held my sai sideways on her gauntlet, aiming to slide the blade under that chain, but as her small fist made contact with my ribs I found I couldn't as my body folded under the strike.

So as my torso moved back with her punch I used the momentum to bring my leg up to crane kick her in the stomach.

Rather unexpectedly every single one of my moves failed.

She moved her arm back, meaning my sai was free in a manner of speaking. With her other leg she quickly stomped on the knee that was gearing up to kick her, making it impossible to do so, she already geared up to hit the same place and planned to Sting Me To Death.

Lady Harribel then appeared at Soifon's back already swinging her arm sword.

As my eyes watched her Zanpakutō my sai aimed for her armpit, I was ready to abort the strike the moment I saw her hand twitch but all I saw was her leg moving in my periphery, she was clearly aiming to stand atop Harribels sword and make striking difficult if not impossible.

As my hand endeavoured to colour her other armpit red the leg on my knee catapulted itself right into my mouth, I barely managed to pull my head back and reluctantly moved my left hand to backhand the knee as I already knew what she was going to do next.

Just as calculated I slammed my backhand into her knee that had quickly pulled back to try and kick me in the side of the head. I stopped keeping track of the Captains Zanpakutō as Lady Harribel's sword began to glow yellow.

"Cero." My Mistress whispered. All I could see was the widened eyes of Soifon as she tried to understand how she was blasted into oblivion.

I bent back, keeping one leg on the ground and bent my spine and the leg into the air as I began to charge my own Cero, I stayed rooted where I was, Harribel's Cero inches above me as I fired it into that brilliant yellow cut of pure energy.

I set myself down, finally stabilizing my body and reoriented myself to face Soifon as I slinked back to My Lady's side once again. "Excellent maneuver My Lady."

"It was only natural. How close are they?"

As I observed the smoke disappear into nothing I did a quick estimate by recalling how powerful I was as an Adjucha. "Approximately a minute. I've ceased funneling power to the both of us as you've asked Milady."

"I see..." _Is that going to be enough?_ She looked at the other fighting going on with her eye. _The entire reason I joined this fight with Sung-Sun was to make sure that the enemy would not remove their limiter. As good as they are there's still a clear winner. Both Captains have already activated Shikai, something those two can't keep up with._

Indeed, Gin and Ukitake had yet to sustain any great injury, at least up until an unexpected bout of coughing brought Jūshirō to a halt, letting Emilou's Cero hit him as he started coughing blood.

It was sad to say that it was the best hit done to him, and Mila and Apacci had still taken far greater than that, the only reason that blow landed was because Mila and Emilou got lucky with the Captains, but that frown on Gins face said he may get more serious than he was already being.

 _No, they are still restraining themselves, if it gets too bad then Sung-Sun can cut one off to give all the power to the more injured one._

She observed Soifon's bloody and injured body. Clearly both bright beams of destruction had hit her.

Her gauntlet cracked, parts of her skin was vaporized, letting us get a glimpse at a part of her skull and an arm bone. The side of her skull, along with some of her hair was what was gone, as was the skin under her Zanpakutō. Bruises and the cuts that appeared across the rest of her body were the least of her worries.

 _No. She's likely not cocky enough to continue fighting alone. Those two..._ Harribel looked back to them, seeing the immense amount of damage done to them. They were good to continue fighting for a few more minutes but if one finally stopped holding back and cast off the limiter..."Give Apacci the energy, make sure she's the one to evolve first." She would cast of Wabisuke and be able to guard against the onslaught. "But if things keep up at this pace then give Mila the lions share. No need to make them cast off their shackles any quicker than they have too." _Yes._ She decided as she looked at Soifon. _She couldn't guard_ _Franceska from the both of them if they got serious._

"Affirmative." As Cyan's voice rang out across the battlefield Soifon finally did something other than look angry.

"You...I don't know what trick you did to fire off a Cero that quickly, but I assure you it doesn't matter, you end here." She was seething, her anger visible and audible for all.

"Oh? And how are you going to do that? Are you going to let Lady Harribel stick her sword into you? There will be no need for tricks then Stealth Force Commander." Sung-Sun leaned in as she said this.

The woman ignored her and cast a look at Gin, who gave a sigh of resignation. "What is it Soifon? Do you really want little old me to go all out? Why, with a clumsy swing I could destroy the town."

It got bigger? "Just start taking this seriously Gin, all this fooling around, it's sickening how little the Captains take anything seriously. I could name the professionals with only one hand."

"Is that because you can only use one?" Gin kept grinning as he tilted his head, even his eyes seemed to grin, a most disturbing sight that was thick with saccharine. "Aw come now, a little airing of the skull is good every now and then."

I was amazed that this was happening. I still gave Emilou the lions share of what I was stealing, I could finally feel Ichigo getting extremely close to Urahara as well.

"Gin..." she growled the name out of her teeth.

"Yikes, fine fine I'll go Bankai." Soifon cast a long glance at him before finally turning towards us.

 **"Kamishini** **no Yari,** **Shinsō."**

Soifon seemed to grit her teeth after hearing that. To think he was going so easy on us, it was an act of-Aizen.

Fuck.

I guess I'll have to quiz Mila on if he tossed his lecherous gaze towards Tier Harribel over the course of this fight.

"Tch, well whatever. Incompetence is nothing new. Now, if you don't mind it's time I deal with you two."

My Lady interrupted her. "Not too long ago you remarked about how confident I was when I stated I could still kill one of you if you stopped holding back. Now here we are, it seems you've become the cocky one when there are two Vasto Lordes focused on fighting you."

"Yeah well, I doubt you have any other tricks of that caliber up your sleeve, and a petty wound like this won't stop me."

"My, I can hear the insecurity from here, are you insecure about the only strike you've landed on us?" I stated.

"Hmph." She looked down her nose at us with a scornful look. "It's time to end you troublesome two." She Flash Stepped towards us, stepping towards My Lady's strong side specifically. At such a close range I could do nothing useful, especially as My Lady swung. Charging a Cero was out of the question. But still I tried to strike, brushing my body against Harribels like a skin tight suit I performed a half lunge to try and stab at Soifon. But as expected it was useless unless you had an ulterior motive...like appreciating your Master's body. Something I got to do even if there was no skin.

Or unless you had an ulterior motive beyond even that...like flinging your weapon at the opponent.

As Soifon Flash Stepped behind me I completed the leg curl I was doing with my left leg and melded my body to Harribels backside as I threw the sai behind me. Was it safe? I did not question that, only...how much damage my Cero would do to the town.

I immediately started charging a Cero with my right hand as I did my best to spin to the right using the lone leg still on the floor, regretfully peeling myself away from Mistress in the process, I looked at where I was prior.

I could see my sai rocket off into the distance as she used Shunpo to escape once again. I didn't bother tracking her with moving grass when the river was so close by.

Instead I crouched and prepared to fire the moment I saw her stop.

I didn't, Harribel once again struck over my head hitting something I had yet to see, the force would lift my hair if it wasn't damp, but all it did was cleave into Soifon's collarbone. As blood spurted out I fired my Cero, vaporizing some of the land in front of us as well as the Captain before the slight upward angle in the Cero kicked in.

"My goodness, after all that talk it ended so-" My eyes widened as blood spurted out the left side of my face as a large mark bloomed across most of my face. It was only Mistress pulling me by the black fur around my neck that she saved me.

I couldn't help but gasp as that all happened, especially when I saw Soifon standing there with no wound to her collarbone.

"H-how are you still?!-"

"Alive?" Her voice was full of gruff vindication. "It's a Hohō technique. So now that I've got you in one of these brief skirmishes of ours," she smirked. "What are you gonna do now?"

I narrowed my eyes at her and got up, my dress unstained since I learned how to levitate using Spirit Energy. I would move my hand to examine my garish wound but my left hand was busy covering my mouth as it always did. There was no need to speak, I leaned forward ready to fight.

She smirked once again as I stole a glance at my companions situation. Looking into her beautiful aqua eyes and just as glorious gold blond eyelashes made me feel renewed. Looking at my lackeys however let me know the situation wasn't going that great.

For them.

"You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to do whatever My Lady bids me to do, but if I can have a degree of autonomy," I narrowed my eyes into slits and gave a brief giggle. "Then I'm just going to insult you." I could feel Lady Harribel glance down at me and see Soifon get a somewhat troubled look on her face. "Don't understand?" I waited two seconds. "Well although you may have an insufferable Zanpakutō...I have competent colleagues." I looked at Emilou and Franceska once again.

She looked at them for a few seconds before finally understanding. Her eyes flying wide open. "No!...You can't be saying!-"

"Yes...yes I am!" I looked at them as a faint light glowed from inside them. "Yes!..." I was happy, happy to see Soifon's despair and hear the excited huffs from my colleagues like the dirty animals they were.

Blinding light began to flood our visions. Orange and red spheres of destructive light making themselves known to the world. The colour of their Reiatsu.

I should use Sonido to get there and make the next step even quicker, but I couldn't help myself, staring at this was like staring at art.

All the panic from My Master's enemies was like _a drug._

The merged light flooded our vision. Such beautiful colours...

"How...beautiful...finally...it's finally over..." I whispered aloud into the black silence of the night.

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

As the light finally died down we began to move towards them, using Sonido to hurry it u-uh.

Oops.

"Un momento." I used Sonido to rush back to my weapon before finding the sheared grass it left in its flight path. Picking up the ivory white weapon I rushed back as quickly as I could. I could make one but I _really_ didn't want to.

Coming back I observed the two of them as all light died down, but then I looked at the Garganta My Lady created.

"Come, we're done here." Mila snorted but quickly obeyed whilst Emilou cast a grudgeful, yet sadistic look and grin towards her Master's enemies before reluctantly following.

"Oh?" Gin spoke up. "And just what'd you come here for in the first place?"

"You've just seen it. We have played you all, stationing ourselves here so that you may come so that Sung-Sun may use her power on you. Thank you for following the plan."

Gin frowned as he heard this while Jūshirō immediately spoke. "But how? How could you do what you've just done when you couldn't use her power on us?!"

My Lady narrowed her beautiful eyes at him. "I'm afraid that I am not obligated to give you an answer Shinigami. This is where we part ways, I'm afraid we won't be seeing each other for a while, so I'll give you my thanks once again."

I could hear the Second Squad Captain growl, hearing that reminded me that my appearance wasn't as good as it could have been. I rubbed the dried blood into my left sleeve and stepped into the Garganta and proceeded to dry my hair, what with my wound having already healed. My left hand grabbed the hair that lay over my left shoulder and proceeded to wring it, I did so with the opposite side as well.

As Appaci walked inside My Lady came in as well before closing it on this side of the world. And then we started the trek back home.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

As we landed onto Hueco Mundo's sandy plains we left craters in the sand under our explosive entrance.

Finally I examined them proper, holding my left hand to my mouth as I did so.

Apacci was the first. She was as pale as I, and she had retained a fair portion of her mask and my, did it fit her like a glove. She retained the lower jaw pieces that had the red patterned thunderbolt on both of them. They hugged her skin and only had one and a half inches to go before the two pieces made contact with her mouth. She also had the top piece of her mask, it looked exactly the same as before just downsized like mine was apart from the horn. That only grew larger. Apart from that she had what seemed to be a full gambeson that went down to her ankles, all of it coloured dark brown with dark brown gloves and boots with thick patches of fur here and there. There were even studs made out of white bone in the gambeson. There was no way to get a look at some cleavage.

You know what else was a handful? Her breasts. Those were thankfully left uncovered by the bone studs, she also had the most lovely eyes. No longer were they doe brown but had instead become an icy blue and an amber, the eye with an amber colour having gained a red outline. Her shoulder length and rough hair had a dark blue colour. Or was it black? Oh well, didn't matter to me.

Mila was the next one I examined. Black skin and green eyes, and the only part she retained from her mask were the spikes she had as an Adjucha, as well as a forehead covering. Smooth and golden, and took the shape of an upside down triangle. The spikes were as beautiful as they were ingenious. They were placed atop her head and were clearly placed with the intention to make you think of a crown. It was hard to say how but they also seemed to funnel her hair in some way. It was like a cape really. The hair reached to her ankles and about as wide as my body, brown and wave like. I'd make no secret of it that it was glorious. Bed of hair or not I'm not afraid to say that it transfixed me, and would keep doing so for as long as I was alive. And unlike Apacci she actually had a weapon.

It was incredible. Anyone could ogle that thing without shame. A Zweihänder that was viciously bedecked. The entire thing was actually made out of gold. Every. Last. Inch.

If this was anyone else I would have mugged them for being richer than Harribel, but since her body and sword were sworn into service then I could accept this.

The handguard was a lions roaring face, golden of course, with what seemed to be an actual mane. A mane seemingly made out of real lion hair. There was also a tassel at the end of the sword hilt. But for the life of me I couldn't figure if it was some sort of vivid orange colour or gold. Did it change dependent upon the light? The most important thing about it however was that I knew that she could swing that thing far faster than a Zweihänder had any right to be swung. I knew that there was more to this sword than what met my eye. And what met my eye were engravings upon the blade that seemed to accentuate the golden colour of the blade despite there being no difference in colour, no contrast to speak of.

Why did she sound like a Queen?

Why did she appear and even sound both strong and powerful?

Simple.

She actually was, stronger than even myself. Even if it was not by a great amount I closed my eyes for but a moment as some unnameable emotion overcame me. I felt it when I used my power for a moment.

Clearly evolving had blessed her with greater power than either Emilou or myself, hell, even Emilou had more power than myself, but I wasn't so concerned about that. She had no weapon and wasn't as good as hand to hand fighting as I was.

Oh, right. Armour. What little there was of it anyway. A skirt made from the spikes that came from her mask, and some ornate chest piece that covered her chest entirely and went up to her shoulders. It was all made out of copper, I could tell. Well, except for the golden skirt anyway. Decorations of lions and wildlife that really brought out the fact that this was a tasteful work of arms and arts. A masterpiece that came both from the table of the culture, and the furnace of the smith. And as Franceska showed off, doing some sort of regal pose immediately after her transformation I got a better look at her armour.

The two pieces were actually connected. A single metal strip connected the skirt and the chest piece together, protecting her spine, though the idea was a little suspect, as the line was pretty slim and I didn't know the width of a spine. The line was actually golden to my surprise, up until a certain point where the gold colour gradually receded to make way for bronze. Thinning itself until I saw it reach the back of the neck. But Mila had finished posing and I couldn't see anymore. All I could guess from the neck piece was that it had some kind of unlocking mechanism that would get the armour off of her. Not that she'd ever do it. No Hollow came with clothes, so she was completely nude like Apacci was under her furry suit.

And her boobs were more than just a handful like mine or Apacci's by the way.

Oh, she also had her Hollow Hole mid way between her navel and breasts.

We all examined each other in turn. I lowered my left hand with some reluctance, letting it rest on my right arm so as to let them get a good look at my face.

I moved my eyes upwards since they all towered over me with the exception of Apacci. I knew I was 5'0 1/2. Somehow.

So looking at Mila I'd say she is 5'9 1/2, My Lady herself only being half an inch shorter. Emilou must be 5'1 1/2.

Hm, whatever I guess. I saw two ways for us to continue, the peanut gallery laugh and pat themselves on the back like I expect them too or Lady Harribel steps in to provide a plan of action for us. Either was fine.

I began to hear deep throated chuckling coming from Franceska. "Hmhmhmhm...hahahahahahahahaha!" She threw her head back, chuckling all the while. "So this is the power of a Vasto Lorde? I can understand why you thought I would get power crazy. I know I'd be damn tempted to kick their asses if they were here! I'd show em' what for!"

"Heh, you're not the only one you know that Mila? I feel pretty damn kickass myself too! I don't look half bad either!"

 _Hm, I guess your evolution gave you some brain as well as brawn_ _to admit that flaw of yours._ I was tempted to compliment the two of them but I _really_ had to reach to make the comment not be backhanded. So in the end I stayed silent.

"Hm, I dunno about that, what about you Sung-Sun? What, that wound beat the joy out of you?"

"Wound? What wound are you talking about?" I brushed my hair back with my left hand, showing fine unblemished skin on my face.

"Heh, so you can regenerate huh? That's pretty cool. So is that mark going to stay there forever?"

"Hm?" I looked to my left at Emilou's words only to see none of my face, but then I remembered what I was just hit by. "Oh, no that has to be impossible. It's a weapon first and foremost, no Zanpakutō could be that strong."

I heard Mila huff. "Yeah you say that, but none of us exactly have a counter to Aizen do we?" She planted her sword into the ground as she said this. The sand beneath parting and breaking as she did so.

"Screw that Mila! You see this fist here!?" Emilou clenched her right hand. "I'm gonna take a swing at him and knock that bastards teeth right outta his skull!"

"So you're in with us Apacci?" At My Lady's words Emilou turned with a surprised expression on her face.

"Huh?! Oh, uh..." She looked down quickly. "Y-yeah...yeah! I'll come along with you and beat some damn manners into this filthy Soul Reaper!" She looked back up, cautious excitement in her tone as her body language indicated joy and relief.

"That's a relief." Lady Harribel closed her eyes. "I admit I had hoped you would join now, this takes a load off my chest."

"Y-yeah, no problem. So...what's up? What do we do now?"

"Whatever we want." I replied. "If this isn't cause for celebration then I don't know what is."

"But...is that okay?" Apacci looked a little startled.

"We can always hold it later." I shrugged my slim shoulders.

"What would it even be? Is it just gonna be us turning a Hollow into a piñata?"

"Of course not Mila, we'll just go to the Human World once again and take whatever catches our eye." I looked towards Lady Harribel. "Is that okay?"

"I have no qualms against this Sung-Sun, in fact we should probably do this right now. We don't exactly have enough beds for all four of us. I guess we could even make use of chairs. The Human World is good for a home."

"Hey, are we really gonna do this? So soon after that?" She said that, but there was a small grin on her face.

"Of course we are, didn't you just hear Her Majesty?" Bingo, don't think they called her that before.

"Well alright then! Let's get going!" At her own words she punched a Garganta into existence.

We all moved into the Garganta, taking our time as we walked through it to get to wherever she made the Garganta exit.

"You know Emilou, I'm glad that you joined. I'm glad to know that there are at least four smart people in the world." I smiled, I even sounded relived to my small embarrassment. "It's a refreshing change." I finished the sentence, my hand itched to cover my mouth but I felt I shouldn't.

"Hey, that's...that's alright, don't worry about it." Oh thank God, I was worried I was the only embarrassed person here. "I'm-I'm glad I joined too." Phew, she was blushing.

I could only hope I wasn't. "Hm, look at you two lovebirds going at it, I didn't know you liked each other so much."

I quickly covered my mouth. "Oh come now Mila, you can enjoy the catharsis and feel bad for it later. Just admit it," I smirked behind my hand. "You think we're pretty don't you?" I started to put some sway in my hips, showcasing my charming features in a bout of generosity.

I got a huff from Mila for doing so.

"Mind if I ask why you decided to join us Apacci?"

"Uhh, hey, could you uh...call me Emilou?" She hung her head down as she addressed Lady Harribel. "After all that you...you can call me by my first name."

I think Harribel quirked a brow. "Alright."

I could spy a small smile on Apacci's face. Interestingly enough she didn't answer the question, but in our euphoria we didn't press.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Everything was silent as we exited the Garganta and looked around.

At the very familiar scenery.

"My, if I didn't know better I would say I saw this place about, hmm...a minute ago?" I looked to Emilou out the corner of my eye.

"S-shut up! Don't people say something about familiar places or whatever?!"

I fully turned to her then. "That criminals return to the scene of the crime?"

"Shaddup! What, do you see any Captains around here? Besides, they started that crap!" Indeed, all that was left was a devastated riverbank.

"Yeah, but I'm not sure how long that'll last...nice snub to give em' though." Mila quickly turned to Her Majesty, golden spikes jostling and clinking as she did so. "So what exactly do we need Ma'am?"

"Just beds really. If this is really going to be a celebration though then perhaps we ought to get some more things that grab your interest. I guess we split up and take what looks interesting. Just be gentle with the beds."

"Affirmative Ma'am."

"My, aren't we enthusiastic Mila? I guess you're finally getting into it after all. Well I'll handle the mirrors and smaller stuff." Saying this I used my Sonido to get started.

Landing onto the concrete my feet left imprints with the speed I descended to the ground. I felt like I was walking on water, the Material World unable to handle my sheer power. It was a wonderful sensation. I looked at the display windows and names of stores as I walked on the yellow lines on the road.

As expected yellow lights came at me at an _adorable_ pace. I gave thanks for the driver in my head and turned my head to the right. As I saw art I stuck my leg out into the air and as the car drove under it I smashed my leg into the hood, bringing the car to a sudden stop. "Thank you very much." I pulled my foot back and pushed the car with the same foot that destroyed it, tilting the headlights to point at the art store. I could approve of what I saw. Feeling the car budge into my other leg I walked onwards as my leg destroyed the car door when it had impacted me.

I opened the door, accidentally snapping the door handle as I did so, I could hear some people scream at the car I turned into an impromptu flashlight. Probably left the driver in a near death state or something. Looking at the acceptable pieces I decided to reopen my Garganta once more and carefully placed each piece inside before walking outside again.

Seeing the far less damaged car no longer had occupants I walked up to that and spun it using only one foot. Hearing the screams of the former vehicle almost made me kick them instead. I ignored them and their crappy phones until I determined all other shops were useless. I left for greener pastures.

But then I heard a very familiar tune. Looking towards the sound I could see the destroyed shop that sold mirrors that I stole from.

Using the sai I cut the yellow tape and walked inside, finding everything to be in pristine condition. Stealing mirrors of varying sizes I threw those into another summoned Garganta. Walking out I plucked the radio up from its location, letting it still play familiar songs in my ear.

"Hmm? Oh, an art shop hmm?" I guess I could finally paint that-oh. Oh that'll be a great way to get back at Soifon, walking into it the door I felt it give way and ping of my clothes harmlessly as I destroyed it and took all inside. Even the cash register.

Just felt like I should have one you know?

Walking out I found that I had not been harassed. Very odd, did the Captains make the risky maneuver to decide not to attack us tonight?

Ah, must have been my poison, they were never going to strike then until they could synthesise a cure? Very clever.

Well alright then, moving on with only music for company I went for other things.

Perhaps the greatest thing of all being Emilou using her head and copying my tactic with Garganta. I moved on from that and found beauty products, decided why not and grabbed those, then I found a bar with all the drinks missing. Then I found a furniture store with most things missing.

So then I decided to go to a place no one else looked and went to go get some cars. And then I left riding a bike.

It was quaint but I just couldn't help myself, racing down the streets with absolutely no idea what traffic laws were I raced to find the most interesting things.

I also found out these godamn idiots had no idea how to drive properly. They couldn't even react to a Ghost Rider with guts.

As I rode around however I think I came to understand that all interesting things were gone. So, putting pedal to the metal I cut open a Garganta with my sai. Riding the motorbike into the spatial rift I closed it behind me and hit the brakes.

Lifting myself up I could see everything I put to rest on the ground, picking up the small stuff and placing it back in my sleeves I got on the bike and began the long process of ferrying it all to Hueco Mundo.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Mila Rose: 5'9 1/2

Sung-Sun: 5'0 1/2

Emilou Apacci: 5'1 1/2

Tier Harribel: 5'9

3825 words or so done yesterday on the 12th of November. 6379 or so words in total done today. I count it even though it's 4 in the morning on the 24 hour clock.

Phew, I must be sick. Writing so much? All of what you see is about 95% original content. The only thing I scrapped from the next chapter was the appearance of these two. Hell, you people get it a day later because I'm combing it over for grammar and possibly changing Emilou's appearance of fur suit and bone. But I could release it today. Which would be the 14th. As I've stated I count it as one day since I only started working on it at 14:00. This was on and off work too. Guess my inspiration was stronger than I thought.

Man, I'm gonna go to bed dreaming of this. Hopefully I think of a cool appearance for Apacci.

You get no omake by the way.

You get the prototype chapter.

As you'll be able to tell things have changed drastically.

This entire chapter started because of Sung-Sun's homesickness believe it or not.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Chapter 16: Orange Asterisk.*

As the garganta closed itself above the Sky's of whatever nameless town this was we stood still and observed. And then I made my dastardly proposal.

"Hey, while we're here why don't we take something?" And as expected Mila took the bait. Just as planned.

"Like what?"

"Oh I dunno. A bed or two, perhaps a mirror or some beauty products."

"Ha! You actually pay attention to that garbage? It sounds like someone's insecure." Bitch.

"Oh I don't know about that. I mean just look at you. You're a dumb mutt for goodness sake. All you have to do is wag that fat behind of yours at another animal and you're all set to go. That ass is certainly much nicer to look at than your flat ugly face after all."

"What the hell did you just say!?"

And then Emilou spoke. "Hmph! Just look at you two. Being concerned about beauty. Unlike you two I don't need it!" Neanderthal.

"Oh I don't know do you Mila? It sounds like an excuse to cover up her complete and utter lack of sex appeal."

"Yeah I think you're right Sung-Sun!"

"Hey! Just because I'm not a Vasto Lorde yet doesn't mean I won't be beautiful when I get there. And what are you talking about Mila? You're just a dumb cat that looks like a giant overgrown furry hairball!"

Before Franceska could butt in with her mindless commentary I stepped in. "Oh? We're beautiful are we Emilou? I hadn't ever noticed that you paid attention to our beauty before. So which one were you admiring? Or was it the both of us? I won't mind hearing the answer either way."

"I-uh-" Interesting. I could see her blush from over here. And even more interestingly, I slid my eyes over to Lady Harribel. Not a single twitch, no movement, and she wasn't interrupting us when she could clearly hear us. Was she...?

Suddenly Mila's laughter broke my attentions. "Yeah Apacci. Which one was it?! Cmon you can tell us here can't you? We're all close friends here hmhmhm. Or are we not close enough? Ah well, I'm sure that little situation can be resolved. Don't you think so Sung-Sun? Hahahahaha!"

"Sh-shut up Mila! And what the hell did you want to steal again anyway!?"

"Well isn't someone in a hurry to change the subject? Don't worry Apacci, my shopping list can wait for this." Vigorous stuttering from Apacci was my reward. I think even she knew what was going on after Harribel hadn't interrupted things yet. And Mila's constant laughter that was slowly raising in volume was probably only flustering her further.

"S-shut up!!! I-if you don't stop I'm gonna smash every single shop here! And then y'er faces!" At that even I had to laugh. Why did she make herself such an easy target?

"Hahahaha! I see! So its not faces ey? Then it's Harribel's big bouncy bosom you're after! Hahahaha! I never knew you were after THAT part of a woman's body." Even Mila knew exactly what to say.

"That's enough everyone. We've only got so much time here, so I suggest we take what we need, then we go. We can continue this back home." So she really WAS interested in hearing an answer! Kind of incredible really, I couldn't tell if Harribel was being shy about it, or was genuinely curious as to what the answer would be.

"Yes. We're not going to mock you for the answer. Rather I think we'll treat you rather tenderly for it Apacci." Cue more laughter and stuttering from Emilou's reddened face. "As a matter of fact we both know you on a first name basis. Quite intimate in some cultures I hear. In fact if my ears don't fail me you call the cat over there by her first name too. Is that a sign?"

"Hahahaha-what?!"

"Huh?! What the hell are you getting at! And besides you call her by her first name too!"

"Yes well, ignoring that I suppose we should take whatever appeals to us. But at the very least we need one large mirror and one large bed. Either one very large one or multiples of the biggest beds that we can carry. In fact we should carry multiples of everything and create a storage room back home."

"Huh!? You think you can just get away with-"

"And how do you propose we do that Sung-Sun?"

"I would hazard a guess that we'll be needing a lot of rope Lady Harribel."

Everyone looked at least a little baffled. Cute really.

As Harribel and Franceska went another way me and Apacci went another. But there was no need to worry. Both beasts of burden had giant bags and some pretty big items secured by ropes. Mila had a bed strapped on top of her and Apacci had a large mirror on hers.

We had raided every shop that caught our eye. This place would have a hankering for feminine beauty products and mirrors a mile wide. I had already stolen some sort of radio. It played all sorts of songs with no care for language. All of which I knew interestingly enough.

But apart from all that there wasn't much else really. We did steal some pieces of art but there wasn't a lot of art that didn't go well when one envisioned them surrounded by rock. Shocking I know. But as it turns out wooden carvings and anything that could be considered art didn't look all too well in a fancy hut. Apacci did ask for some things. Some useless trinkets, some food I would have to unwrap and feed her with.

Ah, oh yes, she also brought a boatload of beauty products. How surprising. Not.

But anyway, as I was taking a stroll through the town having to put up with Emilou's moaning and whining I came across some kind of river bank. A river in the middle of the city wasn't something I had, nor knew the name of. But as we were passing by I saw movement from someone on the grass in this dark night. Some sort of small shadow that I could barely discern when it was surrounded by pitch black grass.

As I turned to approach Apacci looked, scoffed immediately and did the dumbest thing she could have. "Why are you paying so much attention to a human? They can't even see us."

Immediately that small shape turned to us and gasped in fright, falling down and crawling to run away. I suppose I made quite an alien sight. A clearly inhuman figure alongside a talking deer that was big enough to trample a car to death. Never mind a small child. As that human boy got a good look at us, etching this moment into his memory I too looked back at him. Remembering this for days to come.

Even in the darkness it was easy to see who I beheld.

That bright orange hair. "Ichigo Kurosaki..." I couldn't quite contain my quite mutter. His eyes had widened, Apacci reared back in surprise, likely surprised that I even KNEW this boy, and I simply stared.

There was no blood. No corpse that was lying on top of him. Then it came back to me, that scene in the anime. That moment Tatsuki talked about. About Ichigo walking by where his mother died. Walking until he couldn't, only to get back up and walk again.

I stared even still as that boy ran away, faintly remembering Harribel's instruction that we were to return from where we entered once we were done. I slowly followed those instructions. Apacci seemingly emulating my mood. She probably didn't want to ask what left me so shaken, had me so upset. I had never been like this with her since the moment she met me. I suppose it was irrelevant.

I recovered in time for no one to know that anything was wrong. As we stepped into the hollow world and walked back to our mountain we had to hear Mila and Emilou complain about their loads. I did pay some attention to it and put in a few witty comments.

But I ceased that when the radio started playing.

It played: Orange Range - Asterisk.


	13. Dancing In The Moonlight!

Attention: This chapter took so long because of Red Dead Redemption II. It may also be riddled with mistakes, so please point those out to me. Sorry about the wait and likely drop in quality.

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

I sat on an alcove in the mountain, both my arms just laying limply as I stared at the bike.

Even high up on the mountain, so far away from that bike I could see the popped tires.

Turns out the sand here was rougher than the Material World's roads. Not a close call to get off it though, just extremely saddening.

I wanted to live that fantasy of driving at high speeds for some reason. Well, whatever.

I put both my hands on my knee and still awaited for the Master of my home. I had decided to leave some of the more delicate items on the side.

I heard music began to play from beside me as a new song came on, I looked to my right at the radio to see the song that was playing, it was the typical name for an Indie band.

I lay back, my knees and everything being the only visible part of me as I lay back on smooth rock. This is what Lady Harribel done when me and Mila were just Adjucha. I had thought it useless But I guess not. Mm, reminding me of Mila laying on the sand also brought me back to art.

I pulled myself back up and turned my head up to look at the moon.

I had no idea how I was going to paint. I mean, I guess I just put the canvas on my body? Wedge it in between-no, too stupid to finish saying. But perhaps leaning it against rock might-no. That would damage it too. I huffed. Was it so hard to make something durable for a world you've never seen before?

I leaned back and waited. Something I could do for an eternity.

But then the startling thought came to me that perhaps the Shinigami were waiting for me to leave...

I grabbed my sai in my right hand and was about to cut until I saw a Garganta open some distance away from here.

You know, I think I'll just put my weapon in a wall somewhere. Holding it was getting tiring. I looked out the corner of my eye to see Emilou slowly making her way over here. Judging by the aggravated look she gave me she wanted some help carrying more delicate stuff.

I let out a soft snort and got back to idling.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

The Head Captain had everyone assembled, even the substantially less wounded Captain of the Second Division.

"So to summarise we do know another crucial fact about Hollows, that their abilities evolve with them. And speaking of abilities shall we recall just what those are? Now, according to Soifon and the Captains report the Hollow called Franceska Mila Rose seems to somehow harden, her companion however did not become as durable as her and showed no signs of an ability. The more concerning duo however has a woman who did not feel it necessary to use her ability, and the other constantly does and made multiple Vasto Lordes. Is that right?" No one spoke up. "Well if I hear no objection then I will continue. Now according to the readings from the Research and Development Institute we have a list of who is stronger in accordance to Reiryoku scans. I suppose it helps that the town was drained before."

Stealth force officers respectfully handed photos to all the Captains and Lieutenants present. The only exception being Isane as she was too busy healing Kira's bloody swollen face.

"As you can see-"

No she couldn't see thank you very much.

"The Hollow called Tier Harribel and Sung-Sun have been granted the highest bounty out of all of them in the case that they are purified. The other two being the same amount. As you can see in terms of strength it is Tier Harribel and Franceska Rose that are the strongest ones of them all. But one of them can clearly change that at any time. So bounties will be changed according to both ability reveal and usage. I am sure that the three of you are surprised to see these four not just separate but in different places, but that is because criminals will always return to the crime scene." His cane banged on the floor. "However, I do not hold their returning against you. Now back to the point. All four of them have interfered with the World of The Living, Sung-Sun going so far as to leave a man in a near death state and damage property. Now in regards as to how they evolved after Soifon had defused the situation I would draw your eyes to the specialized equipment that is about to be handed to you."

The stealth force officers stepped in again and handed it to the Captains and their Lieutenants. All except Mayuri who violently waved it away and glared at the poor man, making him quickly back off as he began to sweat. "You damn fool! What do you think I've been doing?! Standing here like some useless moron?!" His acidic whisper was accompanied by a glare.

"As you can see this is a birds eye view of Karakura Town, one can observe the effects of her ability." Surprised gasping made the rounds as the Lieutenants expressed surprise and shock, as Izuru lifted the mildly bulky device up she could see exactly how quick it was. The drain was rather tremendous, only a few seconds into the footage and everything was greyed out, everything having been drained of its Spiritual Energy. Even she couldn't help but gasp at that. "All of this happened long before the Captains made their entrance, this leaves the question of how two Vasto Lordes came to be a complete mystery. We have even looked beyond the borders of Karakura Town but did not see the sheer lack of Spiritual Energy that you all see here. For this reason the Second and Twelfth Divisions shall be working in tandem with one another in the following investigation."

"Excuse me Head Captain, but I'm not going to be involved in this am I?" Captain Mayuri looked towards Captain Commander Yamamoto. "I do have have some other things to do, I assure you, my Division is so incompetent in their work that the Captain need be sent for such grunt work." He widened his eyes and began to gesture with a hand. "Why, we would all be served much better if I remain here don't you think?"

His words made some become tepid in fear that Mayuri stoked his commanders ire. "Very well Mayuri, if you accomplish more here then let it be so. I suppose the investigation launched will have to be quick then, but maybe I can spare the manpower to station some Captains. We will discuss plans for this at a later date, after all it is imperative that we plan for these troublesome Hollows. Dismissed!"

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Christ Cyan, some help would have been appreciated ya'know?! Jeez, and you were the one that threw this whole thing."

"Yes well, you also got stuff that you wanted hmm?" I looked at her out the corner of my eyes. "Exhibit A, container full of lewd s-"

"Aw come on Sung-Sun aren't you curious?! We're not flat chested monsters anymore! If ya' got it flaunt it!"

"Yes yes I agree, I'm just astonished at the sheer amount. There are...multiple. Some of your ramshackle containers are practically overflowing." I glanced with a hefty amount of concern at the multiple containers. "Have you considered that it might be...hard...to hide those objects?"

"Eh, Lady Harribel won't mind. Mila might get bitchy 'bout it though. Hey..." She turned to me with a sly smirk. "You'll cover for me right? I can slip you some good ones."

I looked out the alcove that we put ourselves into, the same one I was in before she came. I lay my arm on my knee, my right hand covering my mouth as I sat down. "The word slip makes me feel somewhat uncomfortable with the...items that we are discussing. But no thanks, Mila could probably do well to make herself familiar with them what with Yoruichi turning her down."

"Heh! Maybe I should tell 'er that. That'll shut her up right quick wouldn't it?!"

"No, no it wouldn't and I am nothing short of amazed you don't know that yet. Well, whatever." I lowered my right hand, placing it on my groin and simply laying there. "My, it would be sad to see her become friends with a bunch of sex objects."

"Hah! Hahahaha!"

We were silent as I looked out into the distance. Almost white sand and pitch blackness. My eyes closed in thought. But then a gentle voice talked to me. "Hey, Sung-Sun, what was Mila like when you were around her? And how was it like meeting Tier Harribel?"

"Hm, not too pleasant frankly. She opened that big mouth of hers and wouldn't shut it. But she does have the same interests as me at times. Albeit I've-" I sighed. "Probably wronged her with Yoruichi."

"Huh? Why?"

"Probably shouldn't have mentioned that she was a lesbian, she was rather shy about that and I had callously revealed it. The euphoria is easing that thankfully but I probably shouldn't get too familiar with her, I guess I'll have to ease back some goodwill overtime. But we were close I suppose. We didn't kill each other, and we admired her so much we would bleed for her. I suppose the best display of closeness is when we embolden each other in our service. Those are... _remarkably pleasant times._ But as for Lady Harribel I almost died meeting her. One Adjucha and a hundred Menos Grande."

"Woah, how'd you survive that?"

"I almost didn't." I looked up at the moon by moving only my eyes. "I was close to tasting his blood and emptying his neck, but instead he had stunned me, and the moment he got his breath back he screamed for them to fire. It was then that she appeared." I curled my legs and placed them on their side. "I was convinced I died. A golden yellow that would never run out against a river of screaming death. I hadn't even noticed that she came to my side. I had to know why she saved me. My heart wouldn't allow any other answer."

"And...did you find that answer?" She sounded shy as she posed the question.

"No. Or I've forgotten it, its probably become common sense for me. I couldn't tell you how I breath or see, the thought of it being questioned never even occurred to me. We know, we just forget due to how simple and basic it is. But I suppose the answer doesn't matter, I'm okay serving her with quiet zeal in whatever she does."

"But...don't you want any independence? Why are you so okay with it? I just..."

"Independence? This is my expression of independence and freedom. I'm completely in control of my actions. This isn't some sort of brown nosing, but true, genuine heartfelt admiration. Some things are worth dying for. And I think we've found ours."

"But how are you so...intense about this? You're like a fanatic..."

"Because I'm fighting for a smile. Of course, I don't expect I will ever be able to ever make her smile, no matter w-"

We both hushed up and looked at the Garganta and beheld Lady Harribel. "Hm, I'll open the door and check that the room is properly cleared before joining you two."

"Huh? Oh, got it." She got up to help as I fell down as fast as I could, sliding open the door and quickly checking to make sure nothing was in the way before making my way to Lady Harribel and Apacci.

"Hey, Sung-Sun!" Apacci directed my attention to the spare bed. I elected to carry it like the others were doing and put my palm under the bed and lift it into the air. "So d'ya clear it out?"

"Close enough, one will have to lean on the table somewhat." I eyed the two beds that she carried. They were king sized and had no protrusions on the side. Sadly I could see some sand on them here and there, no help that the pillows were tottering. Ah well.

"It was nice of you to take the beds, thank you Emilou."

"Eh? Oh it's not a problem, don't sweat it."

"Just be careful with them. The pillows are about to fall."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Hmph, so here we are, so not to ruin the atmosphere but we're gonna be fine against this upcoming Arrancar fight right?"

"Of course we are Mila!" Emilou grinned and banged the table with her fist. "Did you see Sung-Sun and Lady Harribel blast that bitch?! She came out smoking! We can beat this blue bitch without a problem!"

"Not to burst your bubble Emilou, but she was built for speed. If I was any less flexible then the damage would have been lesser since I wouldn't be able to land that hit." I took a drink from the shot glass and held it out for a refill from Mila. "Men are good at taking massive damage though, it may be the only thing they're good at but this one is just going to be absurd."

"Heh, You mean this guy's built for masochism?"

"Unfortunately he doesn't have the attitude of one. Otherwise he'd crumple at the sight of us."

"Heh! C'mon Sung-Sun, how bad can this guy really be?"

I took a sip from my glass. "Bad enough we'll be wincing for a couple days. We got to hit Soifon because she was as arrogant as she was ignorant. Hm, this stuff is actually pretty good Rose."

"Hm, don't knock my drinks till you drink 'em at least."

"I won't anymore, but it won't really go well, I suppose we could always hit the same spot, but the last time it played out Lady Harribel could only damage him when we sacrificed ourselves for her...this might be a tangent but I'm really beginning to hate the colour blue."

"Yeah, I think the thing I hate the most about that statement is that I'll understand what you mean by that eventually." Mila took a swig of her own drink while Apacci played with a flask. "But we can't just get away with that. We need to shore up our defences."

I leaned back, tilting the bar chair I sat on as I put my foot on the table. "Hm, suppose that's easy, but it's a bit too optimistic don't you think? Sure we've got some time but it doesn't mean we have much. We only need be concerned when Ichigo becomes a teen." I tilted my head back as I drained the glass. "Doesn't mean that we won't be fighting this guy earlier however. I would say we've got a guaranteed three months of time before we are summoned and have to fight him later." I held my hand out to Mila, who courteously refilled the glass once again.

"Just how powerful is the guy? I heard somethin' 'bout Arrancars being of different quality, but what do you mean Sung-Sun?"

"Well Apacci," I took a swig from the glass. "To put it bluntly the more human looking their base form the stronger the Arrancar, to be frank I have no idea how this guy becomes an Arrancar anyway." Another sip. "Two ways I know off, the Hōgyoku being the superior option, but the process has to be improved upon. Pick a god and pray we're not one of the first to undergo the process." Honestly, the thought alone gave me a massive headache. This blue fool and our group not being assured that we would be the last to be turned. "This one looks like an eyesore, so the risk in fighting him is unknown. I'll assume he'll look like an embarrassment compared to the original us. Who knows, Soifon's constitution is either incredibly weak or she trains nonstop through these remaining years."

"Yeah yeah," Apacci pointed her finger at me with a grin as some song played. "Tell us more about ourselves. Do we have any cool, awesome techniques?"

"Well," I tilted my head and gulped down the rest of my drink. "You can throw your stupid bracelets and make a murder beast if the three of us rip our arms out."

"Wait! Really!" She shot up out of her chair and put her hand on her bicep. "Do you think I should-"

"No." I ignored her screaming as I threw my sai into her bicep, pinning the hand to her own body.

"ARRRGH! FUCK FUCK FUCK! FUUUCK!"

"Honestly Mila, can you believe this child? She complains about being stabbed right when she was about to rip her arm off. The idiot doesn't even have High-Speed Regeneration." I tried to ignore it anyway.

"Yeah it is a bit queer." She quirked a brow at the hillbilly we were talking about.

"Yeah." I thrust out my hand for a refill.

"Hm? Oh for God's sake Sung-Sun, you're drinking them way too quickly, you can fill them yourself."

I reached out with my foot and pulled it to my side of the table. "Alright then. Would you like some as well Lady Harribel?"

"I'm alright, I can move the Hollow Mask somewhat, but it's a bit of a pain to do so."

We nodded our heads and went about our business, Emilou's was to pull my weapon out of her arm and drop it on the table while gritting her teeth.

By the time I finished pouring my drink and reached for my sai Mila spoke once again. "Hey, how come you always do that?" She nodded her head at my foot. "You keep doing stuff with it. Isn't it easier for you to do stuff with your hands?"

I pulled back my sai with my foot as I answered the question. "Well I only got these legs back recently Mila, all of you technically had those as Adjucha, so having them means I don't have a preference."

I heard Apacci speak up. "So..." She gritted it out with a bit of venom. What pitiful amount the mammal could bring forth. "Is that why you're the weakest when you evolved?"

"Probably not." I downed the glass again and sighed with relief. "It's probably a roll of the dice sort of thing, out of everyone here I'd guess I'm the most mobile, potentially the fastest upon the next one. Maybe my evolution came out the weakest since I'm not dedicated to fighting one way." I refilled and drank half the glass again.

"Yeah I guess that makes sense, but Lady Harribel is still the strongest out of all of us."

I rolled my eyes at Mila. "Like that isn't obvious, that's because she's Lady Harribel. But it probably plays a part regardless. That woman had a Zanpakutō fitting for her station, and Jūshirō Ukitake probably has some ranged ability we haven't seen yet. What is your ability Mila? That can help answer it if you're that curious."

"My ability enhances my Spiritual Pressure with each injury I inflict or take. It makes sense what you're saying but I still have some doubts."

I threw my head back and moaned. "Mila...what answer could get you to see the obvious truth?" I closed my eyes, trying to ignore the lights in the room. "Your Reiatsu becomes better with each hit given or taken, you can even do ranged attacks with your weapon-"

She shook her head if the sound of her hair was any indication. "No I can't." I stopped hearing the sound of hair rubbing against wood.

"Well you can learn. But you're not known for your ranged hits are you?" I left it at that and kept drinking, refilling as I needed to. I stopped leaning back on my chair and opened my eyes to see Emilou holding her glass out to me, some blood having made its way in the glass, never mind the outside. "Here." I poured the glass full to the brim, almost overflowing it.

"Christ Sung-Sun! Are you trying to piss me off?" I gave Apacci a puzzled look and poured myself another drink. "Oh, you just - you just drink like that huh?"

"Like what?" I took a sip from it.

"Ah nothin' just surprised you haven't spilled any of it." She held her glass tepidly.

"The drink? Just know how mobile you can be and see the disturbances on the table when you're dragging it." I rested my left elbow on the table and covered my mouth with it.

"By the way," Mila interjected. "Where are we gonna put our stuff? We brought a bit more than we expected and some of those are..." She closed her eyes, bet I knew what she'd say otherwise. She probably didn't want to bring down the mood with an insult but it was obvious just what she was referring to.

"We can carve out more space Mila, don't worry."

"Thank you Ma'am."

I spoke up. "You know, I'm starting to believe the Hueco Mundo air is making its way into the drinks. That or this is a placebo effect. I'm not sure I mind either."

"You mean you're getting drunk on this Sung-Sun?" Emilou looked at her glass with some wonder and concern.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Kisuke held the brim of his hat down as he beheld Masaki's corpse. "Well, I have no idea what to say. I suppose I could thank those people for showing up and pointing this out to us for one but..."

"Yes, it really isn't the best situation in the world." The black cat licked the blood off its teeth. "I don't want to rush you Kisuke, nobody would want to, but..."

"But they were just about to go home." He pulled his hat down further, his solemn eyes staring at darkness. "I...just have no idea what to say to 'em. Well, maybe a good introduction will be in need of some drinks."

"Yes, so what about Ichigo?" She inquired.

"I put him to sleep, I have no idea if that was the right call to do it but it was probably better than having him stare at his mother."

She let out a hum of agreement. "So about that wound on his shoulder, did you get the venom out of it?"

He decided to put the hat on some store cabinet as he stared at the tragedy before him. "So that was what it was. As I started taking care of him I noticed a rapidly deteriorating substance within his shoulder. I set it on the side for now, I've taken care of most everything in regards to his health, Soul Chain included. But my greatest concern is going to be how to handle Isshin."

"Hmm, perhaps it's better not to handle him at all. He's going to be upset no matter how you put it. I might just prepare him for what he's about to see. I think he'll see drinking now as an insult, drinking and other bad habits can come for him later."

"Yeah..." He looked at her, perhaps he should clean her, but he shouldn't undress his best friend's wife with a strangers hands. He shouldn't at all, it'd simply be unholy, but should he really her like this for him to just stumble on? Probably not, but how to avoid disrespecting such a fine friend? Something as simple as throwing cloth over her might be too..."Well, I guess I'll go over with the bad news." He sighed. "I just wish things had gone better. Tessai, get the drinks out. Someone's gonna need em."

"Yes Sir, the strong stuff?"

"Yeah" Kisuke sighed once again. "At least we took care to hide our property from these people."

The giant's head perked up in interest. "Do you think we will have to move the shop if those two come again?"

"Perhaps, I was just talking about whatever sensors Mayuri has made while I'm gone, not that that's a huge concern of his. But I don't imagine we'll have to move the shop."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"I still find it very...odd that such a giant stone drawer was needed for Emilou's most...prominent items." I can't lie, I found it very hard to word it all and not blush. No, blushing was never out of the question, wording it for civilized ears was the greatest challenge. "I...guess that says...something."

"I'll get something for your supplies as well Sung-Sun. Those will be more complicated however."

"It's alright Milady, my own can wait, speaking of the supplies," I turned to her. "If you ever have a request of me then I will gladly strive to meet your expectations." I bowed to her.

"You mean you'll paint for me?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"I see." She turned from me. "I'll think about it. But if yours are going to wait then I suppose its time to install some other stuff. Guess its time to show Mila where we're sleeping right now." Saying this I observed her reach out with her hand to a part of the wall and...pluck it from its place. She then leaned the sheet of rock against another wall. Inside was a corridor as wide as Mila's Adjucha form. "Guess we can put some of the furniture in here as well."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"So do you really think you can beat Mistress in a game of chess Mila? I think you got drunk rather than power drunk." I looked at a real chess match. This was actually my pick of things to take, it's just that Mila took a shine to it.

I blinked a little. Christ I was feeling buzzed for the first time in my undead life. Could Baraggan get drunk? Where did it go? I glanced down at my body, just where was my drink going?

"Well you two wonder-whores are too stupid to think for yourselves, so I guess I'll have to learn how to direct you, but maybe I should have learned from a shepherd."

"Mila." Harribels rebuttal was accompanied with a rook being took.

"Yes Milady." She bowed her head, spikes being mercifully quiet.

"No My Lady, let her speak." I said. "So you were saying you were desperate to be treated like a bitch Mila? Well I hope you pester Emilou instead, I can't be bothered looking after dogs. And could you keep whatever barking you do at some imaginary sheep inside whatever sex dungeon she keeps you in?"

My eyes widened as Mila crushed the chess piece she was holding onto into _literal_ dust. **"WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU LITTLE BASTARD?!"**

"You crushed-! Oh Mila." I whispered the next part. "It's like a dog shitting the bed..."

" **I CAN FUCKING HEAR YOU WHORE!"**

I waved my right hand at her. "Yes yes you were intended too. I just can't believe you're throwing a tantrum after all these years. Or how ever long we've spent together." I looked to Apacci who was coughing up her lungs and glanced back to Rose.

"You know something?...It sounds like you want to start a fight!" She pulled her Zweihänder out and pointed it at me.

"Are you really threatening me with that colorful stick of yours? You seem rather eager for an owner." I sighed. "Well if you insist I suppose I'll put you in your place."

"There will be time enough for that tomorrow ladies." I turned and bowed towards Lady Harribel as the others recovered and followed suit.

Mila made a troubled sound before unclenching her fist and letting the dust fall from her palm as she stared at the board. "You know," I intervened. "That's a rather accurate metaphor for life Mila. If you can't handle that jab then there is no need to assume command." I started to add body language to the dialogue but my grand sleeves stymied that a little. "We all got here by our own set of skills and intuition. Of course, all three of us fell for something at one point or another, it is important that we remember that. I mean, we needed precognition just to protect ourselves from one man when our group was made to accomplish it, we're still not safe either. Well, if that's all I'll be going to bed now."

And so Franceska Mila Rose was left alone to her thoughts for the most part. _I tried._ She palmed the chessboard. _I try to keep us from falling into that, you think that Lady Harribel is the solution to all these problems you mention but let it slip your mind that she fell for it too. I know I fell for something but I was fighting my way out of it, ambushes happen from time to time._ A hand was slowly clenched before tension slowly left her body. _I'm aware that I'm not the best for it yet but how else am I going to direct you idiots..._

"Wow, you're actually kind of a lightweight huh Sung-Sun?" I think Emilou shook her...fiftieth glass? "You drink damn quickly though."

"Hm, it is starting to get to me if I'm honest. Your heterochromia looks lovely by the way."

"Huh? Is she talking to me guys? What's she saying?"

"She is referring to your eyes. They've actually become two different colours." Lady Harribel calmly spoke as she went down the hallway to the bedroom.

"Huh? Really?" She moved to look at the mirror that was in the room. "Holy hell! They really do look cool! But what the hell is that red stuff by my eye? No one punched me I know that much, ah well, it looks cool anyway!"

Mila snorted in response. "Really? That's the first time you looked at yourself in the mirror? There's a fair few about."

"Eh, I never bothered to look before."

"You mean you didn't think that face of yours was anything to look at it? Well you wouldn't be wrong."

"Hey! Up yours too Mila!"

"Hm." Amusement was definitely there.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

 **Deleted section...**

"Because I'm fighting for a smile. Of course you become passionate about who you love." I closed my eyes in sorrow. "I just don't think I'll ever get to see her smile. I don't believe I will ever get to do anything..."

 _Obsession..._

 _Zeal..._

 _Love..._

 _Understanding..._

Emilou began to realise just what her companion was full of. "Are you...crushing on her?"

"I...I guess I am." I hung my head down by a bit. "I'm probably more soft than you ever figured." I opened my eyes and gazed outside. "Is it really wrong to want to love someone with everything you have? I want to make her smile, to hear her laugh, to give back something regardless of what it costs me."

We both hushed up and looked at the Garganta and beheld Lady Harribel. "Hm, I'll open the door and check that the room is properly cleared before joining you two."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

So I took a fair bit of time.

Red Dead Redemption 2. My brother lent it to me so I've been at it for a while. Even Dragons Crown has taken some of my attention. Lovely games the both of them. Now let the omake roll!

An Omake! In which the Head Captain _really_ hates Hinamori Momo.

The drain was rather tremendous, only a few seconds into the footage and everything was greyed out, everything having been drained of its Spiritual Energy. Even she couldn't help but gasp at that.

"This power is rather tremendous Head Captain, but I can't help but wonder why one person is missing when even the most injured people are here."

"Aizen...I understand you care for your Lieutenant but she sounds simply too foolish to be in the position, I would urge you to look for someone else to fill the position. You should consider demoting her and promise she will get her position back once she firms up."

It was silent before a second before Rangiku awkwardly laughed and boldly spoke up...even if it was very clear she didn't want to. "Ahha-ahahaha, you know it almost sounds like you uh...don't like Momo Sir?" She began rubbing the back of her head, tussling long bright orange hair as she did so.

"You have the right of it. I do not approve of her lack of spine. Even the people who support her tell me no good news. Her Captain has mentioned her Kidō potential but still mentions her lack of spirit. This is unacceptable! Within our line of work one must be ready to face a strong enemy at any given time! Perhaps I should have sent her to the battlefield with Kira. In fact, I recall a promise of yours Aizen. You will be summoned next time these four come about."

Aizen was simply.

Stunned.

"Uh, Sir? I can't fathom why you seem to hate her so much? I will bring her out if you insist but-"

"Good! I do not approve of you keeping a Lieutenant who will be nothing more than a liability otherwise, you must show her tough love Aizen!"

Aizen gaped in sheer surprise.

Only Renji Abarai could speak in the ensuing silence. "But...Sir, this is a bit much isn't it? One Vice-Captain versus four Vasto Lorde? I don't see how she could be any way other than traumatized after that."

"Hmph, traumatized, unbelievable! That is exactly why I do not approve of her at all! She must learn to stand on her own two feet and fight like a man! It is most saddening that Shinigami have been reduced to people who cower behind others."

Everyone widened their eyes at his words, Toshiro pinching his expression and curling his hands into fists as everyone else was left stunned. "Sir, I believe that you are judging her too harshly, I promise you she would not so much as gasp at the sight of these Vasto Lorde."

"Hmm, I do not think you're quite right there Hitsugiya? From all I've heard she has the moral spine of my foot. And there is no spine in my foot."

Even Captain Unohana gasped in sheer horror at him. "Head Captain Yamamoto! How can you be saying such things!"


	14. Trust Anaconda

"Hmm..." I hated waking up but...

My Mask was stuck on something.

Well...no way I was going back to sleep. I rubbed the back of my head into the pillows, despite the irritating sounds and the tugging from whatever gripped my mask. I didn't think the humans had it in them actually, but here I was, with the most vital organ that I had trapped, I steadily made progress in pulling it out.

"Urggh, fuck, the Hell's scratching me so hard? Am I sleeping with my face pressed 'gainst a rock?"

"Oh Apacci, wonderful. Mind keeping it down and helping me? My head's gotten stuck."

"Ugh, really? Sure just let me-" My mask suddenly popped free. "There we go, and I am keeping it down. So where are you?"

I looked upwards and behind me, right at her. "It might help to open your eyes."

She moved her body and arms as she looked around. Ultimately, it was the hands that did it. "Yeah yeah," she yawned. "I'm-huh?" She looked down at me. I in turn looked at her.

We were both silent and still for quite a few seconds until I spoke. "You know I don't mind this position but we have to do something about our masks."

"Uh well, hey! Its not my fault! You decided to curl up in your sleep or something!"

"I sense that you haven't let go of me yet either."

Her hands flew off me. "W-well I was getting to that!"

Now I was struggling not to smile. "You know I'm not exactly complaining right? Just keep it down or you'll wake-"

"Hmgn, too late." Mila gave a loud yawn. "What are you two fools doing making so much noise?"

"Emilou is cuddling up to me. Did you know she's actually some kind of tsundere?"

"What the hell are you talking about?!" She flew off the bed as quickly as she could. Covers flying upwards as she rushed down the corridor and closed the door behind her as she kept on running.

"I see, it is good that you're all getting along. Does your festival continue even now Sung-Sun?"

"No Milady. I suppose I'll be outside then and leave you to it." I made a brisk departure but tossed a look around the room. It was a perfect square with almost no furniture unless you counted the quietly burning torch in one of the corners. I tossed a glance back but was disappointed when I saw nothing scandalous. Well, I suppose all the beds being lined up side by side was suitably suggestive for my tastes.

Maybe more risqué things would happen? I opened the door and slid it back into place. Seeing a lack of people to verbally spar with I decided to wander about the outside world, hoping to find a place to find artistic inspiration. Even then I didn't find Emilou.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Now I may be able to find a scene worthy of an artistic effort. The radio that was placed outside was causing a ruckus. Playing some song called HOLLOWED?

Either way, I twisted my weapon as I caught the blade in between the prong and blade, successfully locking it in place. "And what will you do now Mila?" Our weapons vibrated in place as maddening force was applied to the weapon lock I put in place.

I was winning. I slid most of my palm off of my weapon and began to fire a Cero.

I could see Mila attempt to follow my action as she tried to punch me with her left fist in order to unbalance me and make me miss my Cero. I slapped it away and punched her in the kidney in turn before bringing my left hand back to guard, and then fired the Cero.

Brilliant pink light flooded our visions, I consumed the horizon with my point blank Cero for the both of us. My sai had long since crept back into my sleeve allowing the Cero to fire with impunity.

As it began to wind down I stepped back and manipulated my sai into falling into my hand again and threw it towards Mila, only to see a golden Zweihänder twirl and knock my own weapon to the sand, the bright orange hair of her sword waving in the wind as she did so.

Bruises and light burn damage along with some cuts were shown on her frame, even then she still stood there and calmly inspected me. I covered my mouth with my right hand as the wind reached back and moved both hair and clothing.

She decided to charge me with an overhead. _Foolish mistake._ I stood there so as to not give anything away and began to crouch as she came. As her sword came down I reached forward with both hands and caught it in between the palms and kneed her right in the stomach, as she lost some of her footing I began to elbow her in the throat, the cutting edge of her weapon being aimed at my chest as a result. I then put my leg behind her ankle and began to bring it back, successfully making her fall to the ground. Immediately I rushed back to my weapon, trying an axe kick or another Cero would be a mistake, she wasn't that useless that such a thing would hit her.

I crouched and prepared for the attack she launched at me. Her blade was already sliding off the prong and onto my arm, so I decided to charge her, slinking under her strike and rocketing towards her right shoulder and aiming to stab her there. Her knee and fist tried to hurt me but I blocked one and grabbed the other. As I repeatedly stabbed her in the elbow I saw a blinding burnt orange light appear at Mila's neck. And then another surprise came for me.

Her blade struck me in the back and she positioned it so that her other hand could grab it. For some reason I had the rather terrifying visage of a giant robed skeleton replacing Mila.

I snapped out of it and started stabbing her torso and as the Cero was about to fire I threw my hand into her jaw, my weapon piercing the bone and tilting her head a little. I thought I had more time but if her head wasn't going to give any more then...I buried my head into her chest and kept my arms as strong as I could in the grapple.

Her Cero consumed my skull, as it fired it began to take over the top right portion of my skull.

I gritted my teeth as I endured her Cero. Only once it was over did I bury my sai into her other armpit.

Only to fail.

As her sword began to cut into my back I began to speak. "I see...so that's what you meant when you were talking about enhancement." My sai notably pierced less than it used to.

"Yeah." She tried to cut into my spine despite the desperate grip I had on her. "I guess you could compare me to Nnoitra Gilga." She gave a grunt as she kneed me, finally allowing her to half-sword my spine. "I suppose comparing it to a resonance is accurate enough. Like white blood cells my body remembers your strikes and strengthens itself against it." She gave a grin as her sword was pulled into my spine. "Sorry if I'm not the most eloquent, but I think your screwed."

I stabbed my sai back into her jaw, right where I hit her before. "Cuenta Regresiva." I whispered.

The pain I was going through made her struggle to hear, but not to feel. Her eyes widened as she felt a Cero form on the tip of the blade...and the tips of the prongs.

My Countdown nailed her right where it hurt. "Grrraaaagghh!" As she went flying back I fell to the ground, my spine too damaged to support my legs.

It was then something happened.

"Hhurrhh?" Something reeking of *retard* breathed right next to my ear. Some insect must have been skulking around and came out now that we seemed to have ended the fight. It made another ridiculous noise and tried to grab me. "GHHURR!"

I gripped its hand and pulled it into the ground. "Please shut up. You're giving me a headache." I ripped parts of it off pulling its head closer to my hands in so doing. I finally wrapped my hand around its neck and crushed it in my small hand. "Finally..." I stood up. "It always feels longer than it actually takes. Healing that is." I looked across the field. "So how are you?" Rhetorical question, I could see her bleeding profusely from a missing jaw. At least, some of it was missing.

"Heh! Well now she can't bitch at me at least. You know that High-Speed Regeneration of yours may have made you cocky Sung-Sun. Anyone else would have been good as dead if an Adjucha came along." Emilou swaggered onto the scene and put her boot in the fool's corpse. "Heh, man it would've been embarrassing if you died to this guy." She struggled not to laugh as she spoke and looked around. "Man you sure ripped into this guy didn't you? I'm beginning to see why you hate these little nuisances, he popped right outta' nowhere!"

"Continue." At My Lady's command me and Emilou suddenly became tense and stared at the other.

"You know you ain't gonna make it past me right?" At her words I continued doing what I did before, staring at her.

"Rose, are you prepared to keep going?" I glanced over to the woman in question, her bleeding was slow but constant. Nevertheless she stood up and braced for a fight.

 _Hmmmm...I never expected her to have such an incredible pain tolerance. Even I, with such incredible regeneration could not stand so easily after that. I'm beginning to wonder if she would attempt to stand after a spine cut? Clearly without my regeneration I would have lost that fight. I'll have to cripple her fighting abilities rather than end it in a single strike._

I could hear Emilou scream as she charged at me. I leisurely looked her way. "Cuenta Regresiva." My three Ceros expanded and fired from my weapon and threw themselves at her. I was so stunned by the result that I did not turn to face Mila. "You know, I didn't expect that to actually hit you Apacci..."

"Then think again!" My eyes widened by a fraction as she came at me, more undamaged than even Mila. At best her clothing was damaged, there wasn't even any charring on her Hollow Mask. Faced with two Vasto Lordes rushing my front and left I decided to Sonido backwards with all haste to face the two of them head on. "Ha! You want to face us head on?! Where we're strongest?!" My eyes tracked Mila who went left, clearly not banking on her defence anymore. "Hey, what's wrong Mila? Did you lose your balls or something!?"

"You know Emilou, I think I'll go ahead and do us all a favour and take your jaw too. Just stand still." Both were close now, close enough for me to pull something off. "Cuenta Regresiva." I pointed my right hand, and sai at Emilou, I knew it would do nothing but it would slow her. And then I spun my right hand, my technique spinning to land on Franceska. My left hand covering my mouth as it all happened.

I flew at Emilou in a burst of speed and engaged in a proper fight. We traded punches, up until I hit her Mask that is.

Her head did not move even a centimetre, my hand came off the worst from that exchange. She hit my chest and I kicked her in the stomach, batting her left fist away with mine and threw my right hand at her, aiming to stab her in the face.

It was then her right hand retracted from my chest and intercepted my arm, it rose to meet mine, but the hand was in no position to stop me. But then her hand spawned a red destructive disk that was hollowed out.

As my arm ceased to be connected to my body I let out a scream as Emilou's victorious face only got a light stab from my weapon.

"You're not the only one to have some fancy technique Sung-Sun!" Her face was rapturous as the large cymbal sized weapon aborted my attack. "What are you going to do now?!-" Her spiel was interrupted as bone ejected itself from my arm and pierced the roof of her mouth. Creating another sai in the process and falling to the ground since my arm had yet to grow back, the first sai I ever had disintegrating into the night sky.

I quickly hid behind her and use her as a human shield against Franceska, grabbing the scruff of her neck to move for as long as she was dazed. As my one left hand threw her this way and that. It wasn't to be.

Emilou elbowed me in the stomach right as Mila appeared at our left.

I felt only crushing force against my back as my body was cut open. My body bowed and folded to the pressure. But this time, something went a little differently.

My spine was completely cut open.

Unlike last time when my spine was only damaged it was completely cleaved open now. I could only think as I was forced to the ground. My eyes were wide as I lost all feeling and yet felt only hellish pain.

I could register my own screaming and a cry of exclamation but my own thoughts ran ahead of me. _Resonation, she's doing more damage to me the more our Spirits clash and fight she's even taking less damage from me..._

I could think no more. My almost split in two body was placed against the ground.

I had...one arm and a bone missing, and not only that but I had almost been folded like a cheap broomstick against a knee.

But Hollows are creatures of instinct, my body rolled as much as it could under a Zweihänder in order to have me facing Mila. Now that my intelligence had caught up to my instinct I deliberately sped up the regeneration of my missing right arm and sacrificed a bone in my left arm to get back my sai and use my Countdown once again.

I stabbed her sideways in the wrist, accounting for the way a Cero expanded as it fired. "Cuenta Regresiva." I held onto her wrist with my left hand, but it was all for naught.

"Christ!" She stepped on my third weapon this night. "Hey Lady Harribel! Are we still fighting? Cuz if so I had no idea Sung-Sun was actually this spunky."

"No. I believe that's it for today, you've all done well. Take some time to yourselves to rest."

I could hear a sigh come from above me. "Phew, that was some crazy shit. How are you two feeling."

Mila was silent.

"Famished." I said. I struggled to get it out even as I pushed more energy into my High-Speed Regeneration.

"You wanna eat this retard? I dunno where he is actually, has the body colour of sand."

"God no," I said. I fell back and sat there. "Never." I looked at Emilou and the lack of bone in her mouth. I guess she curled her tongue back when I hit her in order to keep talking. "So either you do possess a regenerative ability or I didn't mutilate myself well enough."

"Yeah," She gave me a sly grin. "You didn't mutilate yourself well enough."

"Wonderful, so how did you do what even the lion woman had trouble doing and resist my technique? I already have a suspicion but your ability can't be that stupid."

"Heh." She snorted. "My Hierro is stupid huh? My Mask is the hardest part of my body! It may make my attacks a bit limited but it's unbreakable!"

"I think I'll cover for Mila since she can't talk anymore, but I'm really not that sure beating something to death with the most vulnerable part of your body is a wise idea, even if it is the strongest part of your body."

"Nah, you bitches are just jealous that you don't have a Hierro."

The sound of Mila's sword was accompanied by my own sai being brought up in turn. "Yes Mila, I think Emilou needs a lesson in manners too."

"Uh, hey wait!" The country bumpkin cried out. "Haven't you two had enough of this?! You shot me with your freaking bone for crying out loud!"

"Yes, and I won't grow those back until a day passes no matter how much Spirit Energy I put in my regeneration, but its still going to be worth putting you in your place. If it just so happens that you become quieter well..." I narrowed my eyes. "That's just a bonus."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"I see you didn't take the time to rest. If you're that eager to improve yourselves then perhaps I should join in if you feel this Arrancar is such a big threat."

"Hm." I set my work down and drummed my fingers across the table. "Well he replaced all of his skill with brute force so I wouldn't say we're safe, we could probably beat him but it would end up being the toughest fight of our lives."

"I see." My Lady looked at us from across the room. "I'll think about heading to the Living World again then, I suppose I might be able to install some showers then. Tell me how much power you gather from our rangings."

My eyes widened and my hand dropped a little lower from my face. "How?" By the time I asked the question she already went up the stairs and out the home. It took awhile but I eventually got back to work.

I picked up the pawn piece made out of stone and proceeded to cut the fluff, removing all unnecessary parts until my work resembled a real pawn. I sometimes removed the more unnecessary parts with my thumbnail.

Although Mila hadn't asked politely to do this, or indeed at all, I decided to go ahead and do it anyway. She did give me the stone after all, even going so far as to gesture at the chess set. She may not have had kindly body language whilst doing so but it's about what I expected from her spoilt attitude. I had a cleaved spine and you don't see me being so stroppy about it.

I spent the next few minutes cutting off all the parts until my own standards were satisfied and I unlocked the chess board, holding the board up and putting the piece I made into a cut out with the base of the board. I locked it again and decided that I might wander around. Now that only My Lady and I were capable of talking perhaps it might do well to pay her a visit? I no longer had those two to weigh in on a conversation between myself and Lady Harribel anymore after all.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Tatsuki was concerned. Her little body was feeling more adrenaline than it was ever meant to handle. She had saw that crybaby's scars, four of them the size of her palm on his shoulder. She had screamed and consoled him in order to know what happened to him. And when he told her...well...

She didn't doubt him, not really, but how on earth do you see something you just can't see? She saw the riverbank where his mother died, she knew that something was up but...

She just had no idea, but she knew she had to look out for him after what those...scum did to him!

She began to train, to push her body to the limit and push her mind to it as well, to imagine the _creep_ that did this to her friend and give it a lesson in manners!

As time passed however she realized that she still couldn't see anything, that what she was doing wasn't working. So she took her teachers Mumbo-Jumbo advice and started practicing the soul and opening her third eye or whatnot.

 _And she saw it._

She stared in faint horror, her body's flight or fight instinct having taken over her body.

She stared in faint horror at the thing and she finally realised that everything she heard was a lie. That the bridge didn't get those indents because something exploded underneath it, that all those jokes about shoddy workers wasn't true.

That everything was caused by these giant creatures.

She beheld mist where she saw the latest "technical failure." She could get the impressions of some colours from the giant form of gas that _she knew_ was actually some solid form. She could hear some gutteral growling, echoing with some mystic power.

And then she began to see a Mask form from nothing, its features barely discernable but a corruptive acidic feeling and unmatched malevolence seeping from it. This _thing_ was as a tall as a house and must have had arms wider than tree trunks.

What she didn't know was that it was hunched over. It was a fair bit taller than your average house.

She could barely bring herself to move, but she was about to when she saw the Mask be split in two, another presence having taken care of it. She felt only relief as her body felt right again.

And then she yelled. "Hey! C-can you hear me whatever you are?! Tell me what's going on!" She could faintly see the colours of this thing, whatever it was. Black hair, and some sort of silver clip in his hair. It was all she could get from what she could see.

In the end...she never got her answer.

As the years passed she truly began to see the play of David and Goliath happening more and more, began to see the spirits of the deceased from some of the books she read and her own mentality. Those small people who battled titans with a sword in hand.

She began to grow a _Spirit._

She finally judged herself ready.

"Hey!" She yelled at the monster by the bank. "Why don't you try picking on someone your own size?!"

The green skinned monster turned to her, yellow madness in its eyes as it screamed in hunger.

She held her fists at the ready and prepared herself to fight mindless evil.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Ahahahaha! What passionate reviewers! I'm glad I can entertain you. Much more so than Hollowed Gamer. I'm still upset about that, only ever updated twice and he has far more readers than I do.

Anyway, it is time to address you! Firstly...

 **Hallow!** BOOM! How's this for affecting canon, baby?! Tatsuki is gonna be my ultimate hanger. By the way, about the Tres Bestia all becoming Vasto Lordes there is one story that did it. Vasto Of White. The author is an excellent writer and I hope you check out the rest of his stories, but I don't think he did it right.

And about the Most Wanted thing, I'm fairly certain they have that? If Rukia knew about a worm like Grand Fisher then it must exist right? The wiki for Institute of Research and Development also had something in one of its links...but I'm always happy when you review! I'm glad you like how I write the enemy characters. Honestly Yamamoto has become one of my favourites, I like to think I got him spot on somehow. Izuru and Gin were okay as well I think. Hope you have a good time man.

 **Antex The** **Legendary Zoroark!** You were so excited about my story you got me excited to read my own story! That was when I saw _qn equal_ in Ch. 2. Your name also reminds me of a shiny Pokémon that I couldn't catch in Soul Silver. Pissed me right off, and I'm still bitter as hell about it. But I hope you continue to enjoy my story!

 **Raikaguken!**...Did I get the name right? I'll...leave that question of yours for a later time.

 **Gruntsbreeder!** Hope you keep working hard at your namesake buddy! But yeah, my old man is actually a favourite to write, I have no idea how on earth that even happened but it's great. Hope you enjoy the story man.

 **Blakeho123!** You basically waited for 15 days. I hope it was worth it, and hopefully the next chapter will be good enough you can forgive my laziness.

2000 words or so added on the 27th and 28th, will probably add more when I wake up again. ~4000 word total when I woke up. I deemed it sufficient to publish. Editing may be necessary. Chapter was delayed due to Red Dead Redemption. I was doing the challenges...

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Omake time!

"Have you finally returned? It's about damn time, why'd a simple Hollow infestation take you so long to do?" Mila spoke.

"Shut up, I don't see _you_ doing anything." The bald man replied.

"Hmph, that's because I'm Vice-Captain Madarame. I have more important things to do. I hate to say it but I'd prefer Emilou in your place." Mila shook her head. "How she got in Second Division is beyond me."

"Yeah well, go talk with your gal-pals Mila, stop pestering me."

"By the way Mila," Yumichika interrupted. " _Do_ you consider those two your friends? I heard a lot of gossip come from the other Lieutenants about such a thing. It seems they can't make heads or tails of it."

"Hmph." She gained a discomforted expression. "Well I don't particularly care to shed light on that, why don't you two get going?"

"I was you harpy." Madarame shot back.

"Only because your incompetent."

"Y'know you should probably pay me more respect, I'm only one seat behind you y'know."

"And you'll never take it either, stop wasting my time with such pointless threats."

"Oh yeah?" He became even more aggressive and gruff. "And what if I had a Bankai huh?"

"Then that's even more pathetic." Derision and scorn was all that was written across her face.

"Tsk, you don't know that for sure, what if I'm hiding it because the rest will hound me huh? What then?"

"Then I'll cut you open here and now, pull your damn weight and do something or I'll make you look like Mayuri's freak show."

He scoffed and moved on, Yumichika leisurely following until they got out of her hearing. "Why did you have to do that? You knew that response would only make things worse, all my efforts to get her to let us go, wasted." Yumichika gave a deep sigh.

"Cuz she pisses me off."

Yumichika shrugged. "Well, personally I'm rather interested what she considers Cyan and Emilou. The gossip surrounding them is quite intense."

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Madarame sounded disinterested, he even looked it.

"Well, there's rumour there in some kind of love triangle of sorts. Had Momo blushing up a storm." He tilted his head and smiled thinking back on it. "It was actually rather cute, it'd be nice to see that face again, or perhaps I should just throw her in front of one of them."

Madarame stopped dead in his tracks with one of the most dumbstruck expression on his face. "No shit?"

"Indeed, I heard from Apacci and Sung-Sun that their Captain Soifon has actually been acting somewhat strangely, and it just so happens they complained about it not so shortly after the love triangle came up."

"Hmm well...if its true then it isn't happening often enough. Rose, hmph! All ya' get are the thorns!"

"My my, I had no idea you were like that."

"Yeah yeah, she just pisses me off is all. So what about the rest of them?"

"You anger her too you know? But let me think...well Izuru seemed happy for them as well as puzzled. In fact he asked how such a thing could possibly work only to stop caring once he figured out it wasn't real, well mostly anyway. Renji was curious I'm sure but got redfaced and demanded a change in subject. I hadn't expected him to be so prudish actually, but Rangiku had the best reaction."

"Oh I can imagine, she loves gossip more than you do."

"I heard she already approached Apacci about it."

He stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face Yumichika. "Are you kidding me?! That idiots going to get herself killed!"

"Oh I don't know about that, but it could be interesting to find out ourselves don't you think? Imagine what will be on the papers!" He put his hand on Madarame's shoulder and put the other hand out there. "We'll be rich AND famous! We'll be number one on the Seireti communications!"

"And why do you care so much? Emilou is too violent and Sung-Sun is too slippery."

"That's not a no, and what about Mila?"

"I'm not talking to her, you know that."


	15. Chapter Fifteen: Tricoloured Sands

I put my feet on the bar table, drinking in another song. SALES - Talk A Lot.

"Hey how do you use this thing anyway?"

"Apacci..." I began. "Don't you think of putting on another song. No matter how self-conscious you may feel. You _do_ talk a lot."

She looked at me, shocked. "What? You mean you actually LIKE this crap?! I thought you were some classical old lady!"

I put my feet down and properly faced her. "Now you know I'm not old don't you? Perhaps you should correct that statement of yours."

"Hey, I'm just as surprised as she is." Mila piped up. "I had no idea you were actually liked this sort of thing to this degree, I mean, looking at you I can't really say what you might listen too." She looked a little dumbfounded. "What next? Goth stuff?"

I looked at her across the table. "Of course! What's wrong with it?"

Emilou wandered back and sat down. "Well shit, this is probably the biggest surprise yet."

"Even more than seeing the future?" Mila asked her. "I'm inclined to agree, I still can't get over what I just heard."

"Hey! Why are you two talking about me like that?!"

Mila snorted in the face of my distress. "Whatever, so..." She leaned in and looked at me. "Are we ready for this guy?"

"Us?" I replied, my mouth hidden by my right hand. "No."

"What the fuck?!" Apacci shot up from her seat, toppling it over. "Why the hell not?! We've done everything we could, even became Vasto Lordes and we still can't protect Lady Harribel!? Or even ourselves?!" She gestured angrily.

"Yes. The ugly truth is we're quite helpless." I took a sip from the bitter drink I was having.

"Fuck! Then why are you two louts just fucking sitting there with your thumbs up your asses!?"

"Look Apacci," Mila turned to her. "We've done all we can, squeezed every sucker that we could without letting those halfwits know what we were doing. Besides, its not the end of the world. Me and Sung-Sun can handle that."

"But what if that's not good enough!?-"

"My, you sure don't hesitate in talking trash about us." I butted in. Mila cast me a look, probably to tell me to shut up, even if she agreed.

"Look, we can handle him. We're a bit below Lady Harribel's original strength but Our Lady has become stronger as well, we can take care of it."

"But!-" She shouted angrily.

"My goodness, could you put a cork in it Emilou? I can't hear the song anymore."

"What?!" She turned to me, her ice blue and amber eyes wide. "How the hell can you be like that Sung-Sun!?"

"It's because we're going to find even more food later."

"It's been six months!" She shouted. "There are way too many weaklings in this place! We could stay here for another six and only barely be skimming Lady Harribel's power unless we cut one of us off!" I was about to talk when she continued. "And we can't afford that! Whatever technique we get is the only way we can survive!"

"Well...nice to know you have brains. Even if your queerly eager to rip your own arm off. It took you a very long time to recover from that blow if you remember."

"Yeah..." She poked at her jaw. "Still stings by the way. But honestly guys! What are we gonna do!"

"We wait." We said. I narrowed my eyes and glanced over to Rose, letting her speak as I returned to my bitter drink. "Sung-Sun saw a lot of Adjucha then. When we're called to this meeting with Baraggan that is. It's gonna be a piece of piss to swindle them all and take their Reiryoku, no reason for us to be so panicked, we've pushed the margin of safety as far as we can. To be honest I had thought we'd be summoned long ago."

I rolled an eye to look at Mila as Emilou talked. "What the hell? Why?"

Now I looked at our bright eyed idiot as Rose lectured her. "Because we've changed things. Who the hell was Lady Harribel to that traitor Aizen before us? Nobody. And now that we've fought the Captains and evolved right in front of them Aizen is gonna ramp us up on that list of his."

"You mean he's gonna make us loyal by making that blueberry bitch sooner?!" She had a rather fierce expression on her face.

I spoke up. "I just hope you're aware that _that_ chair is yours now." I turned back to my drink. "It's a shame you don't treat your property better."

"Hey! I brought that in! Its not hers!" I tuned out Mila's shouting with the music. "Anyway, this guy, or even another one will be made sooner."

From there the conversation went on, I ignored it and replied only when things got interesting or when a reaction of some kind was demanded from me by Emilou. One of which was an intriguing question.

"Hey, how _do_ you feel about being there just to drain them?"

I had stood up a while ago, so I had to turn to see her curious expression. "Just fine. Why? Did you think I'd be jealous I get to contribute more than you at the meeting?"

She looked taken aback at the realisation. "Huh? Well, when you put it like that..."

"Please Emilou, I'm not some fairy tail princess, I won't be petty over feelings of inferiority. Everyone serves their purpose in life, to ask for anything else is simply being spoilt. Do your job and do it well, replace another if you absolutely must." I gestured to the two of them with my left hand. "You two fulfill your own roles and I mine, you know this already. We all know what spot we're going to take in the upcoming fight with this sturdy idiot. Even if I didn't for Her Majesty I would still be as happy to serve her as I am right now." I turned back to my drawer, placed right next to Emilou's. "Its just such a shame you aren't as businesslike about everything as I am."

It really was, It'd get her in trouble, but it truly was charming to see. "Hey! I can be-"

"Well getting stabbed by a bone of all things suggests otherwise. If you spent less time running your mouth then you wouldn't have been bleeding from that face of yours. The only part of you that is supposed to be red is that eye."

"Hey!"

"What are you moaning about so much Emilou? You ran your mouth after cutting her arm off and bragged about it. I'd say it's fitting what happened to you." Mila interrupted.

"Oh yeah?! Well I wasn't the only one you gappy bitch!"

"What did you just?!-Do you want me to rip that tongue of yours out?! We'll see if you can recover then!"

"Try it thunder thighs!"

I gave a brief snort at that and rifled through the drawer My Lady made for me. There was no stand for my canvas, not a real problem at all for me.

I then jumped up into a little alcove, putting all needed equipment down around me, it was made for relaxing so I guess I'd use it to do just that, even if my setup had more than a few artists crying. My entire setup was as minimalistic as could be.

I looked down at the fools and observed their movements in order to burn all of their details in my memory. Where hair strands typically were, what their hands were typically doing when idle. "Hey Sung-Sun! Why don't you take a picture? It'll last longer!"

"That's what I'm doing you uppity mongoloid. By the way, are your teeth _yellow?_ "

"Huh!? The fuck you talking about?"

"You heard me, don't you wash your teeth like the rest of us?"

I took note of the subtle panic on her face and took note to remember it for her painting. I'd get another canvas when I was done with Franceska's.

I looked down at the canvas on my legs, I'd say I had done Mila's hair justice. I looked to the top left, Toshiro Hitsugaya and his dragon were done right, drawn to scale and both having green eyes. I'm not sure if the dragon had eyes of a colour other than ice but I went ahead and added it.

I depicted her with her side and back towards me as her burnt orange Reishi and weapon held against his Zanpakutō. His dragon got larger as it came into the foreground. Hitsugaya's home in the background and himself on the precipe between background and foreground as he stared down at Mila, his dragon consuming the midground. There were some small details I still had yet to add.

I had to put him and his home in the back due to how much guesswork I had to make, I knew enough but putting the both of them on the same plane is madness. I had no idea how he compared to Mila's giant size. Frankly? I'm almost certain he's as tall as her hair. The Soul Society was mostly small details, the tower having taken up most of the background, Toshiro standing in the air next to it as small walls and buildings were done in the back. There was one intriguing feature in it however.

Blue skies...I've never actually seen one...

To be frank, I'm not entirely sure that I did it right but I carried on and made more strokes with the brush. Relax your knees more, put more distance between you and the canvas and inspect and tilt your head.

Good enough. I can continue this later. "Hey Sung-Sun! Are you done with your little nerds project?"

I jumped down from the alcove. "Well Apacci, I had no idea you were so fascinated with my work. Perhaps for your one I'll paint you being beaten hmm?" I turned around and pulled open my drawer.

"Hey wait, what's that?" Mila pointed at the painting, so I decided to hold it out for her to see.

"Hey! You decided to make one of her and not me!? Do one already and stop swooning over her!"

"Excuse me Apacci? You got a problem with me?" Mila growled out.

"How would you even want one done anyway?" I asked her. She turned to me with her eyes a bit wide and a somewhat excited grin on her face.

"Really? Alright uh, paint me kicking some guy in the nuts!"

"Are you serious right now?" I could see a sweatdrop from Mila done in sheer exasperation. "You don't want to be fighting the punk that ends up fighting Harribel like I am?"

"Eh, it could be Nnoitra or something. Ya' think I'm gonna complain about kicking some dude in the nuts?"

"Well no, no decent woman is gonna cry for 'em but I'm just surprised your content with this."

"Well," I interrupted. "I could make it Aizen, have some glass breaking effect where she kicks him."

"Haha! Yeah that'd be some good shit!"

She continued laughing as Mila turned to me. "So what's your picture gonna be Cyan?"

"Oh, I don't know." I bumped the drawer back into its place with my back. "I don't really have an idea, nor one for Lady Harribel for that matter." I leaned back on my drawer and covered my mouth with the right hand. "Perhaps I could also do Ayon, but he may come out better in stained glass rather than anything else."

"Well I have no idea what he looks like but I'll take your word for it. But I'm surprised you don't have an idea what with how vain you are."

I narrowed my eyes, more flirty than glaring if my instincts were right. "Yes well, that's what makes it so tough in the first place."

I could see the veins bulge in her face. As I calculated a comeback to whatever insult she was going to toss my way along with the remaining space in my drawer I heard the front door open.

As Mila opened her mouth she promptly shut it. Apacci threw a murderous look at the staircase and I drew my weapon.

There were only ugly flesh stump sounds as some ugly heathen desecrated Her Majesty's abode.

"If you don't identify yourself right about now then I'm going to meet you halfway up those stairs and beat you until you're covered in blood." I stated.

"Wait, you're not Harribel!"

I moved forward, Emilou and Mila doing the same. "Regardless, you've entered her home and failed to address her properly. _That_ I think, is beyond forgiveness."

The ignorant slave continued bumbling down the stairs. "Ah, lapdogs. Get out of the way! I have a message from Lord Baraggan and you will!-" It gasped as it saw us.

"Oh?" Emilou spoke with vicious, sadistic humor. "Why do ya think he stopped talking you two?"

"Perhaps he's smart enough to recognise what we are, that'd be a first." Mila's words were a dry statement.

"If he's that smart then I wonder why he ever entered at all. Perhaps the little boy wants to feel like a man by sullying his betters household?" I said.

"Well I never said he was smart. Just smart enough."

"Ah, my mistake. So he's still a child then. Perhaps we'll clean the soiled staircase with his own blood then."

"Heh, sounds like a plan." Emilou walked up to him, her fists balled.

"Wait! Wait! I have a message for your master!" The stick limbed creature cried out. "You can't hurt me!"

"She's sleeping you asswipe, now keep quiet like a good boy...and let me turn you into a mop!" She went to punch his mask out.

"What's going on here?" _Smack!_ I heard his pitiful scream as we all turned around to face Our Lady, who narrowed her eyes when she saw him.

"Agh, AGH! L-lord Baraggan-he-he wishes to speak with you Tier Harribel! Please! Get these foo-"

"I see, kill him." Emilou put her boot through his head as I stared at her golden eyelashes. "I guess it's time then. This will be the first time you've all seen him, so I suggest you prepare yourselves however you have to." She looked at each of us in turn, all without turning her head.

There was just some kind of charisma to her, that allowed it. "May I carve out that mask of his?" I asked. "It'd be nice to have something to hang my paintings with."

She stared at me, a typical thing for her. "Sure. Emilou?"

"Yeah, I already did that on accident, sorry. Hope their in good enough shape?" She didn't sound very sorry, something I expected from her, she didn't put emotion in a fair few lines that would end up very abrasive for anyone who didn't know her. It wasn't a hostile action, just a social flaw I suppose.

"I can always carve it into a shape later. So," I turned to Emilou, leaning on the wall and crossing my left leg over the right as I stared at her. "Are you going to eat him?"

"Huh?" She looked and sounded surprised. "Oh, no I'm okay."

Metal clinked as Mila turned to her. "Hm? I thought you would have eaten him by now and now you're refusing? What brought this on?" She looked curious. It still caught me off guard that Mila's face moved and actually emoted. Her usual face was stern however, so I suppose nothing really changed.

"Eh, no reason." She looked away with a disinterested expression.

"Well colour me surprised. Well whatever, I have a different way of getting power, so I'll let you have it Mila." I turned to Lady Harribel. "How long do we have Lady Harribel?"

"A few hours I suppose. He stands more on protocol than anything else. He's not actually busy, so we can take our time."

"Thank you Milady." I stopped resting my left leg on its other and turned to the corpse on the staircase and began to sift through its soft skull in case any Mask fragments got stuck inside.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"So girls...what's our plan?" Emilou was nervous, making me sigh in exasperation along with Rose.

"We'll be dragging out negotiations for as long as we can, giving Sung-Sun as much of their Reiryoku as possible. With an array of Adjucha and another Vasto Lorde we'll be more well prepared against this." Our Lady calmly spoke. "However, we have no way to properly guard ourselves against Sōsuke proper. Strength and ability alone won't be enough to defend against his Zanpakutō. So we'll have to rely on someone else."

"And who might that be?" I asked.

"I thought you may have an idea Sung-Sun?" She raised a brow at me as we calmly walked across the land.

"My own thoughts are irrelevant in place of your own, I will of course provide you with an idea when you ask, so saying that I think we may have to fall on Arrancar techniques...I'm afraid I've forgotten the capabilities of some Espada so I suppose we'll have to ask them personally." My, this is embarrasing.

"That's understandable. Most things come under Aizen's purview regardless, we'll be fine."

We all looked a little interested at that. "Hm? How so Ma'am?"

"Sung-Sun told me that Ulquiorra kept his second form a secret even from Aizen, not only that but there's a ban on certain Espada from using their Resurrección within Las Noches. That leaves us with two options." I don't know when but we began to slow down, and eventually stop as she talked. "Either the Espada tell him themself, or Ulquiorra had identified an information network and managed to avoid it." I took in her figure with my body expressing surprise at what I heard. "There are other options too of course. Exaggeration of a positive is one of them, Baraggan would never tell him anything after all. There's only so far one can push him after all, the point is that his information on even the Espada may not amount to as much as it seems to. Secrecy will be an important thing after this. But I'll say this much," She began walking. "Techniques to counter Aizen will have to be made, that maneuver you used against Sung-Sun will be of no use against him Emilou, and most importantly, we'll need to decide on when to strike. That is no problem."

We looked at her as she calmly walked past us, as if nothing was wrong, as if our lives weren't being threatened by a man with a god complex. "Oh yeah?! Are we gonna smash his face in when he appears!?" Emilou spoke with violent curiosity.

"We'll strike when I use my strongest ability against him in my strongest form. Since we'll be sticking together you'll be able to easily tell what it is. It's only a matter of where I aim it, we will strike in Karakura Town, no sooner."

"And later Ma'am?"

"That is indeed a possibility. If Quimera Parca is around will also play a part of it, if our enemies are too weak to oppose Aizen and its out then the question of its mobility will be raised, we'll have to experiment with it. If Gin becomes the only way then we'll assist him, using Quimera Parca then may be difficult if he wasn't summoned before. There are a few more complexities we will have to discuss but those are the bare bones of it."

"DAMN! I can't wait for us to get him! He's gonna wipe his ass with Aizen!"

"My, how vulgar. I never knew you had that in you." Even my forehead wrinkled in disgust at her words. "My child has been sullied by your crude words and desires now Emilou." I was frowning behind my hand.

"Wait, you think of the thing that came from your arm as a son?" She looked freaked out.

My forehead stopped creasing. "Of course, why not? Stranger things have happened. I certainly never imagined that I would be saved by another Hollow and yet here I am."

"Well, yeah but, that's different don't you think?"

"Well perhaps so, but what else can I call it? It has a complete Hollow Mask and can only be born from us. Others can make life but our offspring is much stronger, purer. I would never degrade our creation as something lesser than another's."

"You know Sung-Sun I'm not sure how to take your language." Mila piped up. "It's honestly kind of disturbing."

"What? It's true!"

"Yeah but, you just have a really bad way of putting things, I kinda feel bad for ever using him now." Emilou said, looking down at the sand.

"And you should!" I said. "You just pictured him doing something only a miserable human has to!"

"Yeah but this is-this is motherhood you're talking about! How can you be so casual about it?!" She looked really freaked out now.

"How can you not be? Ayon is a perfectly good boy, quiet, curious and angry for his mother. What? Would you prefer to keep it off until your an old woman no longer in her prime?"

"What? No! Just-arrgh!" She kicked at the sand in front of her. "Let's just go already! Dammit I was excited for this thing and then you just had to-hey Lady Harribel! How long do we have to go till we meet this shriveled up heap of shit?"

"A while if we walk." _About a week if I remember rightly._ She thought.

Emilou let out a moan. "Do we...can we hurry up Lady Harribel?"

Mila let out a brief bout of pitying laughter. "You think that'll stop her from saying this crap? It doesn't stop. Almost everything is sexual with her."

"I don't think I appreciate you thinking maternity is sexual, don't you think it's holy?" Do I? Did I actually have the confidence to do it? I took a deep breath and began speaking. "What about you Lady Harribel?"

She barely turned her head to the left. "I don't view it in a sexual light, but you know what you were doing was too suggestive. Try not to make them feel uncomfortable."

"I see." Well shit I was told. I couldn't even look at the back of her head...well...I already brought myself this far, may as well go on. "Well I suppose if they don't want to admit the truth then someone will have to replace their slot. I mean...it takes two to tango?" Oh Soul King please work.

No, wait! That alone won't work! I needed another God, pronto! "Wow Sung-Sun, are you actually hitting on her?!"

I defended myself against the bewildered Emilou. "Well Emilou imminent death tends to make me a little panicked, when else am I gonna get the chance to do this!?"

"Well, someone has balls, and after all those times you accused me of having junk downstairs..."

"Shut up! I'm actually getting embarrassed and that's never happened! This is a real moment you peasants!" I shouted.

My Lady turned her head my way a little more. Making a heart beat more, making my face more and more red. "Hm? What was that Sung-Sun?"

"Well..." I glanced down, unable to handle the feelings, the fear and the love, the hope and the shame. "..." I couldn't speak. How could I possibly play it straight? How could I possibly play it otherwise? To outright admit and play it like those two were making assumptions or play it up like it was a joke? It wasn't. But my soul and my head screamed at me to abort. To try again once a year had passed. I just...couldn't speak. "..." _Nothing,_ my voice tried to cry out, but my courage forbid me from saying it. I looked around hoping Baraggan was here but all I saw was a stupid low class Hollow that didn't attack us. I kept my face firmly behind my sleeve and didn't make eye contact. I had no idea it would be this awkward. Of course hindsight only now kicked in to say that rejection from Tier Harribel would hurt much more than dying. "Oh you know..."

It was an automatic response of mine. I went with it. I was never more glad than then that all my social knee jerk reactions were just ways to cut off a conversation. Meaningless statements that said nothing at all. I was just glad my body language didn't give away how panicked I felt. "I'm pretty sure she's asking to shack up with you Lady Harribel, how 'bout it?"

"Well you seem eager to have them get it on Emilou, what brought this on?" Mila was curiously amused. "Interested in giving our little lovebird a chance?" She cracked a grin.

I tuned out most of it until then. "Now hold on! Don't you try embarrassing me!" I desperately wanted to say don't call me short either, but I think I used my tallness against them when I was younger. Oh God! I felt like such an embarrassment.

"Yeah, it's pretty cute. And she's got balls for hitting on Lady Harribel, why not toss her a bone? Although, it sounds like she really _needs_ to bone something."

"S-stop talking you two!" I started waving my hands in sheer helpless frustration and embarrassment before I realised it let them see my blush, by then it was too late and even the Mistress saw it.

"I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific Sung-Sun." We kept walking as My Lady posed the question and unknowingly made my heart beat faster than it was supposed to.

"W-well, i-if you want to do what these two fools are suggesting then..." Then what?! "Then I suppose I wouldn't complain." ABORT! AGHHHH! GODDAMN TOUNGE! MOVING FASTER THAN MY DAMN MIND!

"I see." She looked forward as she walked. "That's a lot of trust you place in me Sung-Sun."

It didn't seem like she was going to continue so I spoke again. "Yes well, rejection then would have been more embarrassing than dying frankly." The complete and utter truth.

"Heh, yeah that doesn't surprise me, you're a blushing bridesmaid!"

"Shut up Emilou! Ohh, if this idiot ruler wasn't coming up I'd stab you right now!"

"Haha! And now you're the one getting all flustered."

Rose sniggered. "Yeah, it's pretty great to turn the tables on her." She turned her head to look at me with a sly grin on her face. "So no more casual flirting? Normally you're full of it, I guess Lady Harribel's body left you speechless huh!?" Now it was a maniacal grin.

All I could give was a long gasp, and before I could reply Emilou butted in with her own retort.

Constantly I tried to defend myself, but my greatest defence was throwing an embarrassing tantrum.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"So we meet again. What is it now?" Our Lady greeted him as he deserved.

We stood on the sands, Baraggan and his brown-nosing sycophants sitting on the elevated plains of rocks before us like chumps. Baraggan's throne of bones having caught my eye. I'd say there were about twenty chumps.

All of which were feeling their power flee them. "Why do you keep making me repeat myself? It is annoying to have you operating so independently within my sight, however it would be a waste to kill someone with your power." His posture was relaxed, his gold crown lying atop his head as a deep and charismatic voice came from him. Imperial menace would be the best way to describe both him and his voice. It was rather pleasing to the ears. "Therefore I have come to you today with two choices; the first is to accept my previous offer, join me, and become a part of my army." He held up a pointed ivory finger. A clacking noise emanated from it.

"And the other?"

"You would have to vanish to a place that is clear of my view, the problem for you unfortunately is that no corner of Las Noches exists that is beyond my reach. Hmhmhahahaha! Hehhehahahaha!" His cronies started making some horrendous wheezing noises that was supposed to be mocking laughter.

And then he trundled on over. A big fat waste of meat had the **Sheer Fucking GALL** to approach Lady Harribel and both threaten and mock her. It was the scumbag hammerhead. "Halibel, you understand? You have no choice but to become subservient to Lord Baraggan." **He then put his hand on her...**

"Don't touch me." Derision was clear in her voice. In a single swipe his forehead got a gash and blood ejected from his forehead. It was not a display of his power, since he immediately bowled over and started sobbing like a baby, but a display of restraint from her, since Baraggan would have become much more hostile if he had died.

It was fairly cathartic to see everyone slump over as the big baby finally stopped acting tough.

"Stop!" He tiredly cried out. "Slashing one of my own subordinates right before my eyes, heheheh. How bold of you, you will regret that decision I assure you."

Emilou finally walked over to the flailing infant and gave a mean grin. "You know with each pitiful wailing from you I have to say you're really pissing me off!" She slammed her foot into his torso, breaking through the meat and muscle and leaving an indent. "But to be fair, the screaming is the least annoying thing you've done so far."

"I see..." The king spoke. "That clears all doubts then, you came with her but you are most definitely her subordinates, fascinating...and how did you find these three?"

"I found them while I was wandering."

"I see, some of my people have disappeared lately, I suppose I now know where they went." And then he surprised me with his next set of words. "I wonder why? To extend such trust to them is the very _height_ of absurdity. So what could have gotten you to do this? Clearly not me if their lackluster reaction is any indication...hmm...I demand you three tell me what I want to know..." All that without moving a single bone in his body, it made the speech that much more impressive.

I walked over as Mila stared him in the eye sockets. "That's a rather nice blow, mind keeping him still for a minute?" I asked of Apacci.

She turned to me, her head and the fur of her clothing waving in the wind. "Yeah sure, no problem."

"Thank you." I rested on him in what the easterners called Seiza and placed both of my hands in his forehead wound.

And if I do it in just the right way I-"ARRRGHGHHH!" Can take the skin for personal use.

"Thank you Emilou, you're a dear." Unbeknownst to me the Hollows shifted in discomfort.

"Yeah no problem." She glanced at what I held in my hands. "What the hell are you gonna make from that? A small purse?"

"Something or other." I looked at Rose as she began to talk. Emilou looking over too.

"We don't fall in line like the rest of your gaggle of disorganized idiots. We're not wimps like them either, if you're going to ask for something then you'll do it as an equal." I gave a polite few claps, the discount shark skin having slipped deeper into my sleeve.

"An equal you say?" His tone was the same as it was, and then it began to grow in its menace. "How arrogant...to ask such a thing when I am the king of this world! Unbelievable! You do not have the right to even dream of such a thing! Begone!" He cast his left hand out.

Harribel turned and began to walk. "Hey Sung-Sun! Can you use these?!" Emilou hoisted up her foot, various stringy pieces of his body stuck on her boot.

"Yes, those could be worth something." I replied.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

I stared at the wall, thinking of how to hang my paintings on the wall. I wasn't exactly swimming in high quality wires or frames after all. Every aesthetic thing I stole was hidden in our bedroom in a variety of slots in the back wall and some things were stuck in alcoves. "You know," I began talking. "There were some rather interesting eavesdroppers listening in to our talk with Baraggan."

The rest tossed me a look as some fitting music started to play. "Oh yeah?"

"Indeed." I replied to Mila's rhetorical question. "Three rather powerful people as a matter of fact. Why, if I didn't know better I would say they were Shinigami from the taste of them."

Now everyone on the room got serious with the exception of Lady Harribel, who was unfazed by almost everything. "I see. And how much strength did you gain from the trip Sung-Sun?"

I flexed my left arm, the right staying in front of my mouth. "I would say I'm fifty percent stronger or so. Mostly thanks to those Captains." I tilted my head. "Make that fifty one percent."

Emilou threw her head back and Mila gave a considering look. "What?" Emilou said.

"Did you not see? If he wasn't a man then I'd say I gave him a goodbye kiss. As it is I took a part of him with my teeth." I pulled out a Mask fragment and held it out for the others to see.

"What the hell? When'd ya even do that?!" Emilou shouted.

"After I took the skin off of course."

"So we'll know when this bastard begins to evolve then?" Mila spoke with a cautious, if victorious expression on her face.

"Maybe, maybe not. No one I've ever done this to has evolved before. I'm expecting a sudden cutoff frankly, but hopefully we'll get it all."

"It depends when she assumedly gets cut off that's a cause for concern." My Lady spoke up. "If it happens too soon then he likely passed away, anything past a day or three means he's coming for us, and playing into our hands. Gods job Sung-Sun."

"O-oh, think nothing of it Milady." GODAMNIT I WAS STILL FLUSTERED! At least it was only a slight mishap, I don't anyone noticed my slip up.

"But a question still needs to be answered." My Lady continued. "If the worst result happens and enough power isn't gathered then who do we cut off?"

"Myself I suppose..." I spoke up, earning bewildered looks from my companions and a stare from Lady Harribel.

"What the hell Cyan?! Why are you just gonna give up on that?! Are you scared!?"

"Say that again Apacci and you'll be afraid of my backhand." I retorted. Although judging from her face that wouldn't stop her.

"She's right," Rose interrupted her. "She can make up for it in the actual fight, you're the second person that can be dropped Emilou, I'm the most important."

"What the hell are you trying to say you bitch?! I can fight! You!-"

"You can't deal nearly as much damage as I can." She coldly interrupted. "Lady Harribel and then myself are the pecking order, we're the two best fighters for this guy, you two are the one who get leftovers."

"Grrrgh." Emilou gritted her teeth, I clenched my hand into a fist. "You think you're all that?!"

"It's the truth, this skill less idiot already has a Hierro, and one that's probably stronger than your own."

Emilou was still seething. "Let her have it Apacci. I understand your frustration but picking anyone other than Mila will be a detriment to Her Majesty's health." I said. "You can get back at Rose for running her mouth once this empty headed idiot is dead."

She was pissed off but these things are what they are, clearly we'll have to talk some more about this.

And most of the night was spent arguing between the three of us.

One of the most annoying nights I've had if I'm frank.

So much so I decided to go to bed early. One minute later another person packed it in and went to bed. By the sounds alone it was Lady Harribel.

She stepped next to me rather than go to the opposite side of the bed. I opened my eyes as Lady Harribel got into bed right behind me and held me.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

He gasped.

 _I see..._

The dead monarch realised everything now. _Those three...they must have left Hueco Mundo and found these three..._

It began to make sense. _Aizen Sōsuke...are you already planning to attack him Tier? No, I know you could not possibly stand a chance against him and his posse. But..._

Baraggan began to think back to those troublesome women. _They'll strike and die but those three will surely strike at his back. Yes...it is worth informing them of him. Knowing Harribel she will weigh them down with sheer belief in his words. You are all very lucky that you appeared this day, now how to send a message to you without Sōsuke knowing of it?_

The king tried to curb the small amounts of emotion he felt spiking out of control. His disbelief and righteous anger being the strongest. _No, it's likely Tier already knows. If that is the case then tell me your plans, whatever they amount to, although I doubt it will amount to much..._

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Finished on the 5th of December. No idea when I actually started. Almost 7000 words! Just need ~65 more words or something.

I adore the English Dub if you couldn't tell, and Baraggan has an exceptional voice. But he's clearly not the best.

 **Antex!** I notice a lot of people like it when Tatsuki gets added to the story. Personally I added her just because I thought I couldn't slide it past her. She wouldn't turn her back on Ichigo, but I guess she may have gotten shafted because she never stuck around Kurosaki long enough? Now it's very different. Her tomboy older sister has landed her in two worlds of trouble. Which is particularly impressive.

On a side note; I love the side characters in Bleach. It would have been far more dreary without them. Toshiro playing football, Ikkaku getting hit on, Yumichika and co. Baking a cake for that Plus. I love the first arc, and it is a bit of a guilty pleasure.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

OMAKE???

Born from Labyrinth of Refrain.

"HAHAHAHA! THAT'S WHAT YOU GET!"

The woman yelled hysterically. Her dress, black hair and cat eyes were screaming menace. Especially as she hoisted up the hammer that just crushed Yammy's skull.

"Jesus, is it that time of the month again for her?"

"DIE!" She slammed it into his chest, sending everything flying into pieces and throwing the mans breast straight into Emilou's face.

"Gah, Christ." She waved the body part away and groaned at the blood now on her. "Yeah Rose, she only just did _that_ it's not like it's her time of the month or anything."

"I just wanna know what's going on down there. She doesn't even bleed, so why the hell's she so cranky?"

"I don't know myself." I said. "It's rather peculiar. Without fail it's 7AM on a Monday that she gets like this."

"Yeah, it's odd. You remember the problem it caused back when we were Hollows?"

"Ugh, don't remind me Mila." Emilou's face was overcome with unimaginable exhaustion. "She'd just fuckin run up to a guy and pop his head like a grape."

"It was always funny you have to admit. _STOP RESISTING!_ " I imitated her. "Her catchphrases are the most notable trait about Hueco Mundo itself. Even Aizen is taken aback."

Mila snorted. "Yeah but godamn, we killed literally everyone." Apacci continued moaning. "Hell, she made even Lady Harribel speechless."

"Those were fairly funny." Mila said.

I chipped in. "Personally I think the greatest moment was when she insisted you could attack someone with your boobs Mila. What did she call it again? Milk Crusher?"

"Ahahahahaha! Oh yeah, she totally did that didn't she? She even tried to show it off!" Emilou mimed the "attack" with her own breasts.

"Urgh...don't remind me. That girl..." She batted away the foot that was accidentally thrown at her. "I still can believe she's saying she died to that so called attack. A giant? Yeah right."

"To be fair," I said. "It makes all her rambling make sense. Still, how long do you think Gothic Coppelia is going to go at this?"

"As long as there's corpse. From zero to nine he said." Rose snorted. "If that meathead was actually right about something then I guess she has it now."

Emilou spat on the ground. "It's still bullshit, can't believe she can just pop off a limb like that on an enemy."

"You mean Critical Gore? Yes it's rather ludicrous." I added. "Shame we can't just count on her smashing _his_ head off."

"What Nnoitra?" Mila gave me a look.

"Everyone." I replied. "Whether we were lucky or not to pick her up is a matter of some debate. One that not even Our Lady can answer." I tilted my head as one of Yammy's giant rib bones came flying at me as the woman crushed the giant's chest. "Killing Yammy in his Resurrección is a fairly good sign."

Apacci gave a snort at that one. "Are ya sure about that one? Not even Lady Harribel can answer that question."

Just then I began to sweat. **SHIT!...**

"Hm? What's up Sung-Sun?" Mila asked.

In answer I merely pointed with my left hand at the figure I could see on the catwalk. A glass container, two heads floating inside the tube.

The Ninth Espada.

Godamn it...


	16. Chapter Sixteen! Magnum Opus!

**Authors note: Attention all readers, the chapter of this page was originally going to be the title of the story. There is a very good reason I use it here. Enjoy!**

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

"Hmm..." I moaned.

What a way to wake up. I could feel only bliss.

My left hand played with Lady Harribel's tail and it felt like smooth skin. Like a babes.

And...even better...

I could feel her magnanimous breasts. My very head was nestled _in between them._

I sighed in contentment. Who couldn't? Everything was perfect.

I didn't turn my head as the radio somehow turned on. But the song was Mikazuki, sung by Enon.

"Hmm..." I snuggled in deeper. Who wouldn't?

Her hand clutched my stomach and her pata was almost in the crook of my armpit.

I took a deep and relaxed breath and faintly opened my eyes and took stock of my power.

"Hmm..." Not much was added, which is only to be expected from an Adjucha.

I closed my eyes and got back to enjoying myself.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Heh, so you enjoy yourself?" Emilou asked.

"Greatly." In a rare moment I decided not to cover some of my face, letting it out for a few minutes as I drank ginger ale.

"Heh. I'm just surprised though, what with her having a sword for an arm an' all." Rose grimaced, stretching her body. "I didn't feel that great about it to be honest."

"Huh? Oh yeah, I didn't take that into account." Emilou looked briefly puzzled. "You must have nerves of steel or something."

"I guess." I replied.

"Oh yeah, how's that guy doing? I kinda forgot all about him when I saw you two all cuddled up together." She had a smirk on her face.

"Not too well Emilou. To say he's given even two percent is being a bit generous. He's not dead however, so I'm draining him for what little he's worth."

"Huh? The guy's not that weak is he?" Emilou asked.

"No, she's only taking from him when reaches a certain amount." Mila said. This garnered a rather intrigued expression from me and Emilou. Myself especially. "I guess he doesn't recover quickly. That won't change much at all."

"Huh? How'd ya know that? Cyan tell you that or something?" Emilou scratched her face as she answered.

"No." I replied with a rather curious expression and tone. "I'm rather surprised she figured the both of those out."

"Hmph." She snorted. "Don't insult my intelligence, I'm not Emilou." She continued before Apacci could start hollering. "It's also a facet of my ability that makes what I said a certainty rather than a question. I don't just get stronger, I start getting smarter.-"

"My, to think you need even that. Dumber and Dumber Hm? To think you need an ability to think."

 **"IT'S NOT THAT YOU MORON!"** She took a deep breath. "My ability gives me more information on my opponents." She huffed.

"Oh, that's what you meant Hm?"

"DAMMIT SUNG-SUN STOP INSULTING ME!"

"I don't hear a particularly good reason not too."

 **"YOU CAN FEEL ONE!"** She hoisted up her sword and- I gasped, bringing her strike to a halt. "Huh? What happened Sung-Sun?" She narrowed her eyes. "Did he die?"

"No. Just felt like faking you out." I took a sip as she reared up to strike again and I gasped once again, bringing her Zweihänder to a halt once more.

There was a few seconds of silence as I puzzled over the sensation. "Hm? What is it Sung-Sun?" She hung her sword to her shoulder, resting it there on her armour.

"Did I forget to get chocolate? Apacci you brought some right?" I turned to look at her.

"Huh? No?"

I hummed and returned to my drink, hearing a particularly pissed off woman breath through her teeth. "DIEEEE!"

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Another fool for the pile.

"Hey! Put him in the bottom!" Mila was yelled at from the top of the hill of Hollows. All of them playing possum too, well, the occasional moan and groan took away from that.

There was a rather nice spot on top of our home where we could sit and calmly observe. We took care to smooth the floor and carve some actual seats into the mountain, and from those seats I saw Emilou sit on a small herd of Hollows too stupid to speak.

"That seriously what we're gonna do with this guy? We need at least two more!"

"Eh just put him down somewhere, then we can get back to this Jenga thing."

"If I had a watch I'd be looking at it rather condescendingly right now. I've already told you which one to remove, and another pest might show, giving us another layer to play with." I said.

If only the drinks weren't so few in number then I'd be more occupied.

"Yeah yeah, third from the top on the left right? Don't get your panties in a twist."

 _But we don't-oh never mind._ I watched Emilou climb down the carefully made Tower of Hollows in order to execute the move I made a few seconds ago.

 _"Hmm..."_ I observed Apacci toss it to the side carelessly, like she was hoping Mila won...no. Probably just me taking issue with her being as graceful as a bull in a china shop. I looked as my piece immediately tried to dig a hole in the sand to try and escape.

Rose sighed as she chopped into his leg, causing a small eruption of sound from the Tower of Hollows.

"It's a bother that they're too stupid to learn." She grunted.

"Hey!" Emilou turned to me. "How long's it been? You two thought he'd come waaayyyy sooner than this!"

"I don't know," I replied. "I don't take any pains to keep track of time."

"It's been longer than expected though." Mila yelled to make sure I heard her. "Seriously, what the hell's takin' them so long though?" She planted her sword in the sand and rested her hip on it.

"We can only guess." I yelled back. "Maybe his method is just too primitive for now, either way we're not getting much stronger. Your move?"

"Hey Emilou!" She tilted her head back to shout at her, the makeshift crown shifting. "Third one from the bottom on the right?"

"Eh, sure I guess I can get off my ass and do it." She jumped down and decided to pluck him out and tossing him aside... _about_ as carelessly as she did mine.

"Uurgh, ouuggg..." What was that sound? I saw movement from the fool that Mila just knocked out, the one who could contribute to another layer. "What happened? Ugh, right, Lord Baraggans message! I have to-"

"And just what are you talking about?" Mila asked him.

"Ah! You're!-Attention! I have a message from Lord Baraggan for all of you!" He tried to stand up on squat khaki coloured legs. "Aizen Sōsuke is already here!" He continued talking. "Lord Baraggan demands you share your plan to kill those three Shinigami!"

We were silent. "Well? What do we do girls?" Emilou asked the both of us.

"While normally I would just kill him for talking like that, but I guess we should humor him, just in case. I guess I'll go get her." Franceska walked away, her skirt as it were gently swaying.

"Well Emilou, if she's going to walk then I'll just take a nap. Tell me when she gets back." Saying that I found the most comfortable position and went to sleep.

I'm told Emilou passed the hour by insulting the guy nonstop.

Once we were all here we huddled up on the seats that I used as a sofa just a few minutes ago.

"So what do we do?" Emilou asked.

We waited for a few seconds as Her Majesty stewed it over, but Mila decided to speak. "Do we go ahead with this? I mean, I don't see why it'd be a problem to collude now. It's not like it'd be suspicious for us Hollows to want to kill him. As Arrancars it'd be greatly different."

"True enough. Frankly I'm not sure he would care Mila." Never have I hated a Hollow's Mask more than Harribel's. Never have I wanted to rip one off with actual passion before, I wanted to see her face properly. I would kill for such a thing, but now it looked so charming, so imposing and proper I could not help but think it suited her this once. "He would strike no sooner, everything would go exactly as we have seen it, in a manner of speaking."

"But how do you know Lady Harribel?" Emilou questioned.

"It's because he's just that sort of man. Confidence embodied. I can't bring myself to believe that he'll go out of his way to deal with us any sooner. He won't replace us unless we're too overt, too aggressive...too annoying. He will wait until Fake Karuka. The only question is will he take us? If he knows that we plan to betray him and have Ayon then it's likely not. I would go so far as to say he would replace one of us with Ulquiorra, no doubt he'd be counting on Ichigo Kurosaki to take out the one left behind, which would mean he's going to choose whoever is likely to fight him. My guess is Emilou or Sung-Sun."

"My Lady?! Why me?! I can be perfectly rational!" I said.

"I know, you're just prone to theatrics. It's possible you may indulge in a guilty pleasure. Rose may be a possible candidate too if he's likely to damage her pride. Such a thing would likely be a last second decision however. It's important that whichever one of you gets put there joins after an appropriate amount of time passes. But apart from that I don't see much of a problem. All that's needed are a few conditions for the plan. The first is that all three of you are in Karakura, failing that the plan is to be enacted when Baraggan encounters Hachigen Ushōda. Or in the best case we can signal him by one of us getting within a certain distance of him, if that is the case then another condition that must be applied is that you are all ready to summon Ayon at a moments notice, or have already done so. I suppose that's the plan. One of you tell him that, and spare him no details." Emilou was the only one to move with a disbelieving expression on her face. An expression mirrored on mine and Mila's faces. "I'll be going now."

She walked off, the sound of her walking away the only sound that could be heard.

"Wow..."

I hummed in agreement. "I never knew her tongue was so sharp. So many backhands are..."

"Not the greatest thing in the world no. I'll...I guess I'll make sure Emilou doesn't screw up."

I hummed.

And then I decided to lean back and put the back of my hand on my forehead. "I can't believe I was scolded. It's not bad to insult Ichigo is it? I only *imagine* myself punching him through walls in front of all my friends and insulting his powerlessness and mocking his family and friends. I'm not nearly as terrible as the rest...oh well." I sighed. "I can look forward to Her Majesty holding me." I began to blush somewhat, a habit I desperately hoped to curb.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Hey," Mila turned her head to me with a gruff and curious expression, the crown making noise as each part of it moved. "You've only made two paintings, why haven't you made more?"

"Too much work to draw typical trash. You need a certain location and moment, why draw anything other than the spectacular?" I looked in the vanity mirror and spared a glance at my Hollow Mask. The flare it used to have as an Adjucha was gone. A small but okay change.

"Heh, compared to the Human World you took it from everything here is spectacular." She glanced at the bottles arrayed before me. "Why the hell did you take these anyway?" She had a mildly curious expression.

That was when I held up a pink bottle and held it up to the mirror before setting it down and picking up another one and repeating the process a few times. Only one held promise, so I held it up to the mirror, right nest to my eye. "Hmm...almost indiscernible. Then it's good enough." I opened it and began to paint my fingernails the same shade of pink as the dots under my eye.

"Huh? That worth it?"

"Perhaps, I mean there's other things you can do apart from nail painting. You don't have the natural makeup that I do." I stared at my thumb and my work, it was acceptable.

"So you know all about this? I'm not sure what to think of your skillset."

"Well, to be frank I don't know anything about it. Why would I do makeup?" I made eye contact with her. "Frankly I'm not sure how to do the whole eyelash thing. But if any of you want this sort of thing then the only one who can do it is me. Of course, I would advise you not to ask for it if you annoy me beforehand." I turned back to my work.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Hmm..." I looked at the art piece before me and quickly turned it for the rest to look at. "Tada."

"Woah!"

"Hey..."

"So that's what I look like Hm?"

"You look pretty damn cool Lady Harribel!"

"Yeah, it's not bad, I'm just more concerned with how we look like."

"Relax Mila, I do the paintings that show us as we are because we will abandon these forms eventually. May as well have some things to remember them by right?"

"Yeah I'm just saying we have no idea what we would have looked like either now that we're Vasto Lordes rather than mere Adjucha."

"Eh, I'm not that broken up about it."

"Yeah but your too much of a philistine to care Emilou." Mila gave her a sidelong glance.

"Pfft, no one should be as concerned with how they look as much as you two."

"Oh? Is that because your like a pig in mud?" Mila retorted.

"The hell'd you just say Mila?!"

"Oh let her be Rose, she knows she can't compete when placed next to us. It's the ugly duckling but she never gets better." I butted in.

"Sung-Sun, are you sure my tattoo is placed there?" Harribel asked.

"Huh?" Emilou got closer to take a look, followed closely by Rose. "Wait...is that on her boob?"

"Hm." I nodded.

"So it's a stamp?" Mila questioned. She questioned so hard one could see question marks hover over her head. "Well I guess I can't see anyone being a tattoo artist."

"I imagine so. To this day I still become a bit giddy remembering that oaf get his face cut open." I said. The point of my statement being no man would be able to sneak a peek at her.

"Nah, I bet it's some Kidō, hey!" Emilou looked up at me as I sat on the staircase. "What's Ayon look like?"

"Don't you think it'd be a waste Emilou? It would be much better if I drew him in a moment where he makes us proud." I retorted.

"Yeah I guess, but I can't help but wanna know!"

I thought she'd be cowed, but she was still as excited as she was before. "Well if I must..." I sighed.

"Hell yeah!" She gave herself some kind of fist pump.

"I wonder what Ayon will look like now." Mila said. "We've all taken different features and will certainly do so once more. It might be interesting to see."

I really couldn't help but sigh again. "Doesn't that mean I'll have to do the painting twice over?"

"Heh, I hope he looks cool! Ya gotta beat on your enemies and style on 'em!"

What a waste of resources. Even this one was a waste, no matter how much effort I put into it.

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

I looked up, my eyes wider than normal. "There was a faint disturbance in it, and I'm not sure but, I believe he's recovering faster. Of course, that little limiter I put on him isn't working anymore." I said.

She had a brief look of confusion, and then she pieced everything together. "Then that means he's evolved right?" She asked.

"Yes, Previously I only took it from him when he surpassed seventy percent of his original power. Now it's no longer the case." I replied.

"Hey that limiter won't be on when we're fighting right?"

"Not anymore. Now I'm taking it from him as fast as I can without reservation."

"Sung-Sun." Rose looked me dead in the eyes. "How close is this guy?"

I calmly continued drinking, but since that wasn't enough to convey the message I spoke. "He hasn't moved at all, too overwhelmed by his own power I'm sure. Now the bad part is-" I took another mouthful of ginger ale. "Is that Aizen might still be there and talking."

"Huh? The hell's so bad about that slick cunt talking Sung-Sun?" Emilou questioned.

Franceska on the other hand got wide eyes. "No...is he planning to make that fool rush us?!" She looked as pissed as she was startled.

"Huh?! What? No way guys! What's he gonna do with words that'll make him rush?"

"He'll tell them all about my power Apacci." I gave her a serious look. "If I was told that my power was being drained for each second a certain someone lived then that'd make me quite angry don't you think?"

"Oh shit!" She stood up, toppling her chair over yet again. "Christ, what do we do?!"

"Calm down for one." I interjected. "Regardless of whether or not I die is inconsequential. You two can at least serve as decent meat shields for Lady Harribel, but it's unlikely any one of us will die again tonight. One experimental Arrancar pitched against three loyal Vasto Lorde Arrancar. Even the biggest fools we'll have the displeasure of knowing know which one to pick." I finished.

"Yeah, but you don't exactly have a lot of time to drain him before he gets here."

"No. So perhaps it might be wise for one of you two to get Lady Harribel?" My words got a look from Emilou. "He's already coming this way after all."

"On it!" Mila shouted, turning around and running towards the front lawn as it were.

Sand was better than grass I suppose. Greenery would just be wrong in this world.

"Uh-how far away is this guy Sung-Sun?"

"About a mile Emilou, so if he's really determined he'll be over shortly."

She was about to talk when we heard the sound of skin slapping the staircase and the multitude of metal clanks. "Hey! Master Harribel says to come up quickly." Mila ran back up.

I mournfully set the drink aside and went ahead using Sonido.

"Lady Harribel." I greeted.

"Sung-Sun," She waited for a moment so she could greet everyone else. "Mila Rose, Emilou. We'll be coming to him, our house is a bit too valuable to risk damaging, but before that,-" She turned to us. "If you want to leave, then I'll grant you that chance once again." She turned back around and started walking forward. "Come. Sung-Sun, how much energy have you gathered from him?"

"I would say there is enough to improve one of us by twenty percent or so. Even with the other meager Hollows I've drained we didn't get much."

"Tch, figures those trash couldn't do anything right." Emilou spat out. "But what the hell? You said two percent!"

"And I said even saying that is generous. I wasn't lying."

Even she knew the power gap between Vasto Lordes and the rest. "I know this has nothing to do with the situation at hand, but what happens if we leave for the Human World right now?" Mila spoke.

The revelation, the memory that Aizen was watching and close enough to intervene actually made me trip. "He'll likely come himself and suspect something is up. His actions may be to end us simply to wipe all suspicion of his character. Of course, he might be able to summon up and excuse and bargain with us. Make us say one of us has an ability to stay hidden." Harribel spoke.

"My Lady! Shall I-"

"Maybe not. He'll likely piece together your ability. If things get bad then I'll let you do it, but be careful about it. He may be able to confirm that you know what he's going to do if you make a mistake. We _can't_ let him know that we plan to betray him or know what the future is."

"Yes Ma'am. I would say it is twenty two percent now by the way, who does it go to?" I replied.

"Hmm...I would suggest that Mila takes it all."

"Yes Ma'am." Saying that I started to deposit it her way. "Up to what percentage?" I asked.

"Thirty."

"So I get the rest?" Emilou questioned. Some aggravation in her body and tone.

"Yes. He'll be tempted to go for all of us, you and Mila possess some of the greatest defences. You will be someone he cares to hurt more, but Sung-Sun will be a greater target. Therefore I want you to position yourself appropriately Cyan, guard yourself using Rose and Emilou if you can."

"Affirmative. I suppose I'll be providing backup." I looked at both Rose and Apacci. "I hope you understand if I don't toss Ceros at him all the time. Having to take a pose just to use a technique is a bit ridiculous."

"Hm I get it, you can't dodge out of it." Mila retorted. "But what about that other technique of yours?"

"Countdown only lasts for three seconds. It'd be just as fitting if it was named something akin to that. In addition it has some flaws, I'm anchored to the ground and it is a primitive technique. You can consider my Countdown to be an extension of my sai, the prongs only go so far." I waved my sai in the air for emphasis as my left hand took the place of my right, my mouth.

"Hmph, forget that then. This bastard is probably too bulky for that to matter unless you're up close."

"Hmph. Well I predict you'll be slightly stronger by the time we encounter this fool Apacci."

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

He stomped towards us. His attempt at being menacing was to grin and exaggerate his movements, deliberately kicking up some sand with his feet and emphasizing his arms movements.

He was six foot tall at the very least.

"I see you're all in one place, great! That makes killing you all so much easier. Do you remember me Harribel? It's been a long time hasn't it!" He jeered. An action that would have made me scoff if my voice lended itself to it. As it was I had to take care their mannerisms didn't effect my own. "You surely couldn't forget me could you?" He looked at me. "Look at all these injuries you left on me. I'm going to make it much worse for all of you!" He reared his head and chest back, roaring and releasing his power.

It was enough to make us buckle some.

 _Even after everything we've been through...Arrancar trash..._

To think I could be stopped by some nobody had me livid, more so than this overgrown child. "How could I ever forget? Your so bad I'm not even sure your skin could be used for toilet paper." I began to regain my posture. "The rest of you will scarcely be any better."

I deliberately looked at his bald shining skull. The rest of him being the way it used to be apart from a festering deep yellow indent in his chest.

It was hard to scar a spiritual being, the sign of having done so had many implications. The first was the lack of Regeneration of any kind. The second was that of a massive glaring weak spot, and ours had a fairly giant one in his chest.

"Grr." He frowned, his teeth bared as he did so. "You won't be so mouthy when I rip your head off. Maybe I'll make a cap out of you huh?!"

"Still so insecure? And here I thought the ladies liked scars? It seems you're too primitive to know even that. Although, trying to kiss someone who is airing their skull out 24/7 is a bit much for any actual woman." I shot back.

Seems he couldn't handle that and rushed me, who was in the very back of our little formation. The mildly stupefied face he had as his fingertips and fin impacted Harribel's pata was disgusting.

It was also disgusting that he could probably poke the Eiffel Tower into collapsing with just one finger.

I guess the Frenchmen had a Captain stationed there or something. Any Hollow could destroy it with ease.

Maybe it was Kidō? I saw Rose jump at his right, trying to cut into his arm only for sparks to fly.

That was the moment Emilou and I realised that things weren't as easy as thought it was and attacked ourselves. I appeared close to My Lady's right and prepared to fire as Apacci covered got in front of me. He looked at us with that dumb expression of his as we fired our Ceros.

"Rah!" Apacci put her fists up and blocked his swipe, getting sent flying away in the process.

I could see he was unharmed.

Tier smoothly started to attack his chest wound where the both of us just aimed by sidestepping his attack and slashing overhead. He looked at her as he brought his other hand back up to block.

That was a mistake.

I moved to the scar that Harribel left in his skull and put my fingers into it as Rose appeared behind him with her sword going for his naked skull. He gasped as I put all my force into widening the crack and Mila's sword tilted his head, producing a thunking sound as it did so.

His right hand smashed into my hip as he grabbed me and threw me away.

It was pitiful but a bone was definitely broke by the strike. "Ha...all of you together can't even harm me, absolutely pathetic!"

"Think again." Harribel said.

It was hard to look but his blocking arm was bleeding somewhat.

Eventually I healed and sat up to see Emilou punching him in the scar she gave him as his superficial wounds mounted. "You fucker! Just sit your ass down and die already!" She got backhanded, leaving a small stab wound in the back of his hand and getting sent away in turn, her feet leaving trails in the sand as she tried to put a stop to her momentum.

So Emilou being ten percent stronger did that hmm? That woman Soifon would have finished this slow fool already.

I launched myself back at him as he tried to knee Harribel as his fist and her sword were locked together, I put all my force into jamming my weapon into his leg only to slow the strike until it hit me in the stomach. Before I knew it his leg got back on the ground again and he slammed me into the sand with his fist. Snapping one of my ribs from behind as My Lady stabbed him in the chest. I cried out as my poise was broken.

Deep in my mind jokes about poise suddenly screamed themselves at me. I had no idea my soul was so dark before, but here I was. With my face in the sand and having given no real contribution.

I rolled to lean on my left side and aimed my sai vertically. "Cuenta Regresiva." I blasted him across his body, consuming even his unprotected head. I then tried to stand up before getting kicked right in the shin by him and sent a small distance away.

"Not running your mouths so much are you? How about I make sure you never open them again?!" He laughed maniacally as he held a Cero in his hands and aimed at me. Not the brightest idea.

"That's because we have nothing to say to trash like you." I narrowed my eyes at him and got back on my feet.

I took a good look at him and reared my right arm back. "What the hell Sung-Sun?! You can't take him on!" Emilou shouted, something I ignored as I continued with what I was doing.

Right before he fired I threw my sai into the scar in his skull Harribel left him before evading to the left with Sonido and dodging the attack.

My right hand covered my face as the wind and sand created by his destructive beam kissed me, my long olive hair flowing on the air currents as sand glided across my skin and fell off me.

I could see him grit his teeth and seethe at the obvious result. Obvious to everyone other than him and Emilou it seems.

Light cuts were present as he wasted time firing a Cero that would never land. "C'mon you unicorn bastard! Fight me already!" Mila taunted.

He tangled with all three of them. Emilou was at twenty three percent over the course of the fight, I think thirty was what it was supposed to be. But even then she put up a resemblance close to the original Harribel.

The Harribel that we had now was leaving marks in his body, small cuts that certainly wouldn't leave a scar and barely cut through the entire layer of skin. Mila was giving him even lighter nicks.

It was a fairly horrifying sight, for one person to be so durable was maddening. Mila drifted backwards. "Damnit! Bastard's like an onion. Every damn layer of him gets thicker and tougher. And _then_ there's the Hierro."

I decided to go over to her using Sonido and watched Emilou and Tier go at him. "You know there's one part of him without any layers right?"

"I can see that! What you're doing is pretty damn obvious but I can't hit a target that small that keeps moving! That skull is the thickest part of him too, no matter how much force we put in our strikes we'll only leave cuts as wide as a finger nail on him as we are now." She rushed back into combat and I followed her. "To put it simply a fight of attrition isn't something we can win. You two have to bury that thing into his skull." She jumped up and brought her sword down him only to be blocked.

The moment I jumped I grabbed a spike on her skirt and pulled her down as I went above him, he tried to track me with his head but that wasn't necessary. In a display of incredible precision and athletics I landed on his arm with my left leg, bending it as much as I could so I could nail my target with an axe kick with my right.

As my heel hit my sai I jumped once again and held myself upside down in the air by making platforms from Spirit Energy and gripping the edges of both platforms with my toes and fired another Cero.

As he stood under a bright pink beam of destruction I spring boarded off of them and landed a fair distance away from him and cut off Emilou's access to his power, letting the power he had gather in myself as poison and venom sapped his strength.

At least that's what should have happened but I couldn't see any damage coming from my attacks. The sai was buried a bit deeper of course, but only by a fingertip.

He gave a mean grin as he stared me down and as he handled Emilou's generated weapon of Reiatsu, the red disk that cleaved my arm off barely had an effect on him at all.

"My, I think you may have been selling his durability a little poorly Mila." I watched him backhand said person into the distance, I looked at his chest and the scarred crater Apacci left on his chest back when he was an Adjucha. Faint cuts were already present on it, but not enough, it was clearly still painful if his reaction to getting stabbed there proved anything. Even that wasn't enough to bring the caveman to his knees.

I rushed back into the fray with a new plan in mind, patiently waiting for the chance to enact it and playing support until that moment, distracting him and budging his limbs away so that they didn't land their hits.

Sometimes that meant jumping right in front of a hit to soften it with my body or gently kicking someone out of the way of an oncoming strike.

Of course I was hitting him from time to time, but only when I got strong enough, his Hierro was too strong for me to simply punch. If I kept at it then I would simply break my own hands, my skin almost shred itself apart the first time I did it. Even when I got stronger it was a pain, but surely he had to be feeling something, and then I got the chance we needed.

As Apacci and Mila screamed at him, charging right at his face he brought both arms down to smash them and I jumped up again. "Restrain him!" I yelled.

"Hurry up!" Apacci screamed at me.

"What the?" He ceased muttering as I got on his head again and put my hand on my weapon.

"Cuenta Regresiva." I whispered.

As the three orbs came into existence he groaned in pain. "Haaah!" Harribel yelled in exertion as she stabbed into his elbow, jamming his sword somewhere in his bone and held his arm down with her free hand. "Rose! Help Apacci!"

As they helped each other I felt my Countdown suddenly fire off, Ceros, which were wider and taller than houses and far more destructive than a thousand sticks of dynamite...

Suddenly fired right into his skull...

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

"Did we finish him?" Mila asked, her eyes narrowed.

I had my sai in my right sleeve as the hand covered my mouth, our hair blowing in the wind. "Hell yeah we did! Did you see what she just did to him? There's no way he could survive that! Heh, that was pretty cool!"

"Why thank you Emilou." I replied. "He took it all point blank into that small, puny mind of his, I couldn't even see him through my own attack, The fool was still tense as he die-"

"Dodge!" My eyes went to My Lady as a pale blue hand grabbed the side of my skull and punched me into the sand.

"What the hell!" Emilou screamed, I couldn't see him but I could feel him.

"You know, if you dig scars that much then how about I give you an identical one?" He spoke.

I did my best not to flail but it was a bit hard not to when the bright red light of a Cero was the only colour I could see apart from his hands.

A point blank Cero?! From him?! His could blow through a mountain! I-I couldn't survive that! But there was no way to dodge this! The grip he had on my head was too tight!

"Let her go you bastard!" I was tempted to attack his fingernail by jamming the sai in there and firing but settled for a different target.

I started to give the rest a scrap of power and tried to jam my weapon into his wrist only to have my weapon barely puncture his skin. I guess my power hoarding was a good idea. Frankly I was tempted to give them more power but I knew dying here would help no one. As he started to fire I started my Countdown.

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

I groaned in pain.

Somewhere in the distance I could hear sounds, it sounded like two swords clashing against one another.

I groaned as more of my blood caressed my face, how it slides down the left half only to make its way into my mouth or stick to my face. I swallowed it, accepting my blood back into my body. I slowly lifted my head to see what was going on, the bloody beads I now had shining in the moonlight.

My hair, slick and weighed down by my own blood described the situation perfectly.

Emilou's legs shook before stabilising, blood falling across her face by a wide cut on the forehead and pouring forth from the gashes in her torso. Mila was barely even conscious, cuts across her face and some of the bone in her leg showing. Lady Harribel had blood seeping from in between the teeth of her Mask, I couldn't see a wound so my only guess was that she was bleeding from the inside.

"You would all stay down and die with a wimper if you all knew what was good for you." The scar on his skull was widened, and a dark fluid slowly seeped out of it. That was it? That was all I did? His wrist wasn't even damaged! I didn't even get to fire a Countdown at him!

Emilou spoke. "Never! If you want to hurt Lady Harribel then we're not just gonna sit by and do nothing. We would do anything, even sacrifice ourselves to save Master Harribel, you want her? You'll have to get through us first!"

"Look at the rookie taking charge." Rose spoke with good humour.

I stood up, my head still trying to grow its bone back, my movements making everyone turn to me in surprise. I took a deep breath, not that anyone could hear, and began talking the way I usually did, like a composed English princess. "She may be a little cocky."

"But I'm with her." Mila said. There was a smile on her face as she turned to look at me.

"Same here." I had a small smile on my face as well, my eyes having squinted a little in joy.

We all released war cry's as we charged at him, he was clearly unprepared for us, wide open and too slow to cover for that.

Reiryoku, or Spiritual Power is a power aligned with the spiritual sensitivity and willpower of the user. The Shinigami write it as such: 霊力

Reiatsu.

It was the application of it.

Quite literally willpower.

Emotions could affect it, in that sense Hollows were the strongest being due to the crippling insanity and madness that was caused by their eternal hunger.

So mad were they that they weren't even sent to Hell once they died. The gates and claws would not appear unless that Hollow had committed crimes when they alive, human.

All crimes as a Hollow were forgivable.

So our next actions were perfectly fine even to God.

Emilou rammed her horn straight into his stomach, making him bring his hands down to clutch the wound she left in his scar, leaving him defenceless as Mila ran up and grasped her Zweihänder with both hands and striking his mouth, striking with such force that you could see the teeth fly. The moment that happened I striped moving and aimed, rearing back my sai and throwing it. Unfortunately I missed his tongue and hit the roof of his mouth.

As he pulled his head back in pain to scream Mila thrusted into his chest right alongside Apacci, who planted her feet in the ground and tried to lift him. Mila aided her as I tackled his leg and held it above me as I kicked his back, burying him on both weapons as I did so.

We reveled in our power, the colour of our spirits colouring this dark and unforgiving world of moonlight. Bright and lovely burnt orange Reishi came from both Mila's weapon and her body as red enveloped Apacci as the colour pink enveloped me.

We never felt stronger than we did then.

Lifting the titan they roared as I went to rip my weapon from him, blood pouring from his mouth.

"Finish it Apacci! Suplex him!" Franceska said.

"Heh! Not a problem! Come on Rose! Let's do this!"

"Hm," she got a sly smirk on her face. "All tight then!" As they began to lift I saw something in his hand.

A giant spear made of Reiatsu. "Look out!" I screamed, but it was useless and I knew it. I went to stop his arm with my hands but he reversed it and stabbed me. I didn't expect the surprising speed he put into the action so I began to fall back, but I clasped my left hand around his arm and started to stab him in the arm as much as I could, but then he lifted me higher into the air and flipped the spear, slamming me with such force I could feel my consciousness being to fade.

Before it faded out I saw them complete the action and put him in the ground. "You bastard!" Emilou screamed. "Can't you just have the good graces to die like the insect you are!?" She stomped on his wide open skull.

"You wretch! _You_ think you can just hurt my comrades without getting punished for it?!" Mila swung her sword in a great arc, sending him flying into the air from even Emilou's boot. "I don't fucking _think so!_ You're gonna die here and now for that!" She began to fire a Cero, the wonderful colour of her soul lighting the darkness as she charged it.

He got back on the ground quicker than he should have and rushed her but Emilou got in the way. "Screw off!" I saw a shield of red Reiatsu form on her hand and deflect his attack as she decked him in the jaw and jumped away to the side letting a wonderful Cero consume him.

 _Y-you two..._

Those were my last thoughts.

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

All crimes as a Hollow were forgivable.

But Harribel refused to see it that way.

"Look closely Harribel, I'm gonna crush her like a grape. This is what happens when your subordinates get too uppity!" He stepped on her head.

"Get away from her." She whispered.

"What's that? Has your confidence faded alread-" She darted at him, slashing his throat and kicking him away from Appaci. Her Reiatsu began to rise, yellow death seeping from her body as her Reiatsu rose to challenge this invader who had dared to lay a finger on them. "Gah-" The cut in his neck made him reach for it protectively. "You...you're cutting me deeper. That power of yours, are you making me weaker?!"

"No."

"Then who woman! No, it doesn't matter, I'll kill you all, so what does the answer matter? Are you ready to die now?"

"Not until I make you pay." I launched myself at him, cutting across his chest and feeling myself chip away at the bones in his body, the first time I had done so. I crouched and thrust my sword into his guts and stabbing him in the spine, I could feel my sword veer to the right but chip off small pieces of his bones yet again. He groaned as he hunched over, an automatic reaction but also a strike. I tried to Sonido backwards, deliberately scrapping what pieces of him I could as I dodged.

She stood back into a small puddle of Mila's blood, a gash across the width of her stomach on display, deep enough to display organs.

From here she could see the hole the size of a fist in Sung-Sun's body along with other wounds from having reopened.

Emilou's bones were scattered across the land in pieces, her chest having caved in and her shoulder being struck with such force that they shot out of her own skin and clothes, her ribcage just having small pieces of bone pepper the back of her body, having been caught in the clothes.

And he dared step on her?

She rushed behind him, having crouched to turn and cut the back of his knee while he slowly turned in surprise. Like a human there were two ligaments that she sliced open. He screamed in bewildered pain as he knelt, she took to the air and rapidly spun, putting as much force as she could into her next strike. She aimed for one part in particular. As she finally began to strike her blade began to glow yellow as it descended into the crack in his skull that she left so long ago that Sung-Sun had stuck her hands into. "Cero." The word came out as a deadly whisper.

He truly began to scream as he felt the full force of it, the crack in his skull now almost reaching the back of his neck. "Aarghhh!"

As the momentum she built up ceased to exist she pulled back, but then he surprised her. He threw a hand up to strike her, a lance made of Reiatsu clutched tightly as he stabbed her in the stomach before throwing her away and firing a Cero at her.

 _I...have no regrets._ she thought. She stared down the slowly approaching man, who dragged himself to her at a snails pace. _I did it Apacci, Sung-Sun, Mila Rose, I've finished him. Your sacrifices weren't for nothing. He'll bleed out and die here for nothing, to die for petty revenge, I guess that is his inescapable destiny isn't it Sung-Sun? Yes, you would certainly say that._

He was reduced to using just two hands, his other leg having given up on him for some reason. _At least none of us have to deal with the hassle that is the future. It certainly seems that no one is going to live after this. It doesn't bother me as much as it should do, dying that is. It was a rotten world anyway._

Her hand fell open, revealing nothing but her body being unable to continue. _This world full of sacrifice and misery, a world built on the ashes and corpses of other, I wanted no part of it. But then you three came along and made me care about living once again. You three were the only thing in this world that's worth it. For once I'm glad that the dead live again, even if they should never do so. The dead who still yet live have only the shallowest of lives. But it seems that I'm the exception._ He was much closer now. _I'm glad that I am the exception. Meeting you three is not something I can regret, even as I am about to die and lose you now. It's been a good death. I hope it will be a good life too once I die, hopefully I can meet all three of you again._ She looked at him as he reached for her neck.

And then she looked at the silver shining in the sky under the moonlight. That thin bit of silver with a green hilt.

"My mistake...I should have considered what you might do with all this extra power." Blood fountained from his chest with one casual swipe. A sword glinted in the night that had not a single drop on it. Aizen had appeared. A long white coat without any words or symbols. For a dim moment she wondered if it was even Captain regalia. "That was quite remarkable. Through sacrifice you have made the impossible possible." He turned to look at her, brown hair waving faintly in the wind. "I'm sorry about this, I was the one who gave this Hollow Arrancar powers, but it appears I didn't give him the brain to control them." He spoke calmly, his voice made it feel like there was nothing wrong with the world. "If you're desperate to avoid casualties then gain power. That control is the answer to your dilemma, and if power is what you want I'm the person who can provide it for you."

"How do you know that is what I desire?" She replied. Faintly registering two other Captains of unknown Divisions.

"You want to be able to protect your comrades don't you? You can only accomplish that by becoming stronger than your enemies, and the stronger you are the less casualties you're likely to produce. Doesn't that sound ideal?" He waited for a moment. "Care to see what it looks like?" He waited for a moment once again before Tier tilted her head downwards, he gave a brief chuckle and smiled. "I would like it if you come with me. I know where you want to go and I shall take you there. Rest assured, I'll never make you sacrifice anyone the way you did just now."

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

We laid down in our bed, having been informed of the situation. Tier having sat down on the edge of the bed as I sat on it with the covers on me as Emilou lay down, using the pillows to sit up more as Mila simply lay down like she was going to sleep staring at the roof.

"So we're going to meet him when he's got the Hōgyoku hmm? It's relieving that won't get a trashy evolution then, it's also pretty nice that he'll send a newspaper boy to find us when the time is close." Mila summarized.

"You know, I didn't think it would be as close as it was." I spoke up. "I'm...glad that I have you two." I admitted.

"Heh, there, it wasn't so hard now was it Sung-Sun?" Emilou replied.

"I...suppose I'm not the greatest with my feelings, but...it's good." My mouth quirked up a little. "I'm...glad that I can trust you two with my life and...more. It's pretty great as a matter of fact." I smiled completely now, my eyes crinkling in delight.

"Heh, there ya go! See? This whole complimenting each other thing ain't too bad is it?" She said. "Y'know you should draw a painting of that time you kicked your sai into his head. I think it'd look pretty cool."

"Do you? Well alright then, I'll trust your sense of style."

"Maybe you can try making the canvas out of his skin?" Mila spoke. "I know I'd be willing to help with that."

"Heh, me too. Hell, maybe there'll be enough left over for a drum."

"Hopefully. It would be nice to listen to a song we made." Mila said.

"Is that so?" I replied. "Well now I just feel forced into making a harp."

"Haha! Out of what?" Emilou asked.

"I guess I'll have to count how many ligaments he has left in his body. The bones will replace the wood, but perhaps it'd be much better to make it out of rock? Yes, I would prefer a traditional one farther than a small one. Guess I may have to use his muscles then." I replied.

"Ha, I never knew you fancied instruments. You keep _harping_ on about the heart shaped instrument."

"Well, harps do take that shape." I replied. I was a bit surprised, but quite happy that I said that rather than telling her to hush up or be quiet, no matter how lighthearted my tone might have been.

"Hehehe." Emilou.

"Hmhmhm." Even Mila chuckled.

"Yes, it is quite funny isn't it?"

"Heh, yeah. You think some prince gave it to a girl he fancied back in the medieval days?"

Emilou's joking question was resolved my Mila's return comment. "Perhaps we should ask Baraggan and find out?"

"Hmhmhmhm."

"Heheheheh."

"Hmhm-hahahaha!"

"Hahahahahah!"

We devolved into a laughing pit for a few minutes.

It was pretty fun.

"Haha! Can you imagine how uppity he would be?" Emilou asked.

"I could almost imagine it now." Mila said, staring at the roof with a content expression.

"Why, if he had any blood veins they'd explode from the pressure." I joked.

"Hahahah! Maybe we should ask him when he becomes an Arrancar! Maybe we'll see his eyes turn red?"

We all laughed again at Emilou's joke, even Lady Harribel. "Hmhm, yes, I imagine that's exactly what would happen. He wouldn't even be able to threaten you before the blood vessels burst." She said.

"Heh, hey! You think he'll start threatening us with ye old times language?" Emilou gestured at all of us as she talked, then proceeded to do an impression. "Why, back in my day children would never speak to me like this!"

We all laughed and chuckled once again for a good while.

The music from the radio was surprisingly fitting for our festive emotions, so I spared a glance and saw EVERGRACE OST slide across that the glass.

"Hmhm," I finished giggling. "It's just a bit of a shame we're all soaking the bed sheets in our blood."

"Hmhm, we can always take another in the Human World." Our Lady said. "It has been a good couple of years hasn't it? I wonder what new innovations they have."

"Yeah, they made some pretty great stuff." Mila said, a statement that Apacci seemed to agree with.

"Unfortunately nothing advanced enough to replicate my paintings I'm sure." I sighed. "Perhaps the first thing I'll do when I become an Arrancar is force Szayelaporro Granz to build some kind of photocopier."

"Oh yeah? What for? I imagine the skinny nerd is gonna get uppity about it."

"Do you Rose? Well he probably has it in him to be like that, but I do want a copy stored in a safe location, I doubt they'll just be fine if left alone in our room."

"Hm, well at least only you have to worry about that. It was a fair bit of work to put that torch up. I'm glad you can do more precise cutting though Sung-Sun, makes this place much better."

"Anytime Mistress, but might I ask how you-"

Emilou spoke up, stopping me from finding out how Harribel had built the torch in...our home.

I suppose it was ours if she cared as much for us as she did. The thought put a smile on my face. "Hey, can you imagine what he'd be like if we played the instruments in front of him? What'd his face be like when he founds out what they're made from?"

"Oh he'd be livid. Might even try and kill us right then and there. Maybe he'll send another Arrancar after us."

"Oh I don't know about that, I think Baraggan is more complicated than you give him credit for Mila." Tier spoke up. "Apparently he never sent that guy either, nor Aizen. He supposedly came to us of his own volition."

"Did he?" Apacci had a bit of a distasteful look on her face. "Y'know I can agree with that." I nodded to that statement.

"He did hold a significant grudge against us." I said.

"C'mon girls, how'd he know where we lived? And it was definitely a test by Aizen." Mila spoke.

"Can't you see him holding up that one guy by the neck and asking where he found us?" Emilou retorted. "Shame we had to let that gutless idiot live."

"Indeed. I'm a bit amazed that he managed to become an Adjucha with that attitude. Why, it must have taken him hundreds of years!" I said.

"He was more than likely given the scraps of whatever meal the rest of Baraggans troops had. He commands more than Adjucha, just no Menos Grande." Tier enlightened us. "A slow messenger used to disrespect others who's autonomy he barely appreciated. I know that Baraggan would give them a certain amount of time that he knew had a small chance of actually being fulfilled. So when the messenger inevitably lied to save their life he'd get an excuse to kill them." She finished.

"Aww man, really? Why put up with the facade then?" Emilou asked.

"Probably because there are some he'd like. The one's who get that sort of treatment are ones he sees as unruly barbarians."

"Hmph, it'd take real guts to act uppity in his territory. Everyone knows that Baraggan or his little legion would gladly wipe them off the face of Hueco Mundo." Mila said.

"True enough, but here we are, having carved out a territory despite the best efforts of someone who's strong enough to wipe out said legion." I replied. "I'd like to say there's no one who could take this part of Hueco Mundo from us."

Some more somber smiles were ushered in. "Yeah, we passed his little test with flying colours, still sucks that he was practically a joke compared to what we get in the future." Mila said.

"Oh relax," I was still easygoing. "Must I say it? With you all at my back nothing can go wrong. Now smile will you?"

Even as they ribbed her, her own smile didn't falter since she saw her dear companions smile.

Even Harribel smiled under her mask.

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

1224 words added on the 7th of December. Couple thousand added on the Twelfth. I pissed about on FGO, so my own work surprises me. Added a significant chunk on the 12th. ~9526 in total on the 13th day. Stayed up until 04:40 on the 14th of December to perfect the WordPress document as best as my tired self can.

Reviewer Time!

 **Valphrim!** Hahahahahah! Well, something had to be R63'd. Thanks for the luck by the way!

 **BigBlimpin'** Quite true. My summary is very disappointing, but I don't think it's misleading? Ohh, wait a moment. It's about the one eyed snake right?! Whoopsie. Heh.

 **Antex!** Bet your impressed now huh? Or is Tatsuki your main focus? Well too bad, you ain't seein' her till Christmas is done. Old man's gotta relax someday.


	17. Chapter Seventeen: Cozy Hovel

"Well, that turned out rather poorly hm?" I spoke.

"Tell me about it, I get out of bed and end up finding his Hierro is still working." Emilou scowled at her bloody hands.

"I guess I should have expected this considering the last time." I leaned forward to peer at her palms more. "Now that I look at it I'm almost certain using it as toilet paper could only go wrongly for nearly everyone involved."

Mila snorted in the distance.

"Yeah well if I can't use his skin then I'll use his bones, turn the ugly bastard into a toilet bowl or something." A grin grew on her face as she imagined that.

"Though it's the best use for him I'm not sure if Arrancar have to do that." I replied.

"Well he can be used as a dump anyway. Maybe for rotten meat and the guts I'm gonna punch out of whoever's like him." She replied.

Mila had decided to walk her way over here, the spikes that made up her skirt and pseudo crown clinking. "So he's as useful dead as he was alive?" She quirked a brow. "Wonderful. At least we got stronger."

Emilou's face twisted a little in bitterness and mine following halfway. "By how much Mila? I think the most degrading thing was draining him did nothing to him. If only he walked the entire way." I muttered.

"Chin up girls. By some percent or another we've all gotten stronger." She replied somewhat sternly. "At the very least we would all be equal to Madam Harribel if she was at her original power. All this whining is getting on my nerves. Weren't you two over the moon not so long ago?" She asked quizzically.

"But we got beat down by a punk. And even if we're as strong as she was we're still gonna get punked by Aizen!" Emilou stood and clenched her hands into fists. "That bitch can hide behind his sword and I can't reach him! Of course we're whining! None of us got enough!" She grit her teeth.

"Relax!" Mila shouted, having us turn to her with wide eyes. "You two are overreacting," she continued calmly. "We'll have plenty of chances to get stronger and improve ourselves. The only thing that's ever actually mattered is reaching the final stage of evolution before becoming Arrancar. Nothing else actually matters."

It was silent for a few seconds before I spoke up. "While I like the speech we're still going to be cut in half by Aizen. I'm sorry if I'm a little concerned about that but I think it's a reasonable worry."

"It's not." She replied, leaving me gobsmacked behind my sleeve. "You have the power to get stronger and are going to be surrounded by some of the strongest beings in existence."

As I was busy trying to process her telling me dying didn't matter she and Emilou talked more. "What makes you think he'll just let her go and do that? The guy's a complete asswipe!" Emilou threw her arm to the side in emphasis. "C'mon Rose, you expect things to go that easily?"

"No, but even if he keeps as tight as a grasp on it as he can _something_ will end up slipping through." She replied. "And even better it'll be Arrancar that surround us, whenever he slips up we'll become a lot more stronger. He may even encourage us to drain others, the chance exists."

"That's the plan anyway." One of Apacci's eyes narrowed. "These guys sound like total weaklings when compared to the Espada, how are they supposed to contribute to us?"

I finally tuned in to the conversation again as Mila replied. "How would getting them any sooner matter?" She stared Emilou down as she continued. "Only evolving mattered, even the power we got from this guy wouldn't help at all in the long term." Emilou looked down, the only thing we could see on her head being the horn. "Becoming an Arrancar probably doesn't multiply the power you currently have, only the number of evolutions underwent actually matter to that thing. Have you two calmed down now?"

"Well we were never hysterical to begin with, just disappointed." I replied.

"Well, whatever you say."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

 _huff, huff..._

She took in another breath.

"Well!?" She screamed. "Have you had enough yet?! Huh?! I can...I can still go for more! I swear! You...you..." She went down on a knee, too much body having left her blood for her to stand up right as blood poured from her arms like rivers of blood, teeth marks littering the limbs. "Urgh!" The rain washed her blood into the concrete, leaving only exquisite pain. She looked up as the monster made another sound but didn't see it twitch. Was that noise actually some kinda groan? It hurt her ears, never mind her body, or...

Her soul. She hunched over herself in pain just thinking about it, all this corruptive taint she was feeling down in the very depths of her soul...just what the hell is this thing?!

The Hollow pried at its teeth as she sat there and recovered as she looked at the small craters she left in its face. It was too fatigued to stand up again. So was she for that matter...

"Hey!" She screamed. "What the hell happened to Ichigo! Tell me!" Even _she_ knew she wasn't going to get an answer, no matter how hard she hit it, or how many times she did so it never spoke out in pain. She grit her teeth and screamed out in anger. "Tell me!" The rage at the world for everything it did to her friends gave her the strength to stand and charge it, kicking a crater right into its forehead, she continued kicking the dumb creature leaving multiple spiderweb style cracks as she kept yelling. "What did you bastards do to him?! He's never been the same! Arrrrggh!" She buried her foot in the Mask one last time before falling over backwards as her anger left her body. "Damnit...damnit!" She punched the ground. "Why can't I protect anyone? Who the hell can keep up with this?..." Tears began to pour from her eyes as the monster deteriorated into nothing. "Sado, Ichigo, Orihime..."

The blood loss started to affect her consciousness as she thought about her past, about how she began to stand up against everything that wanted to hurt her friends, the crippling need to spawned from a child watching her friend become horrifically scarred by a ghost of all things. If that hadn't happened maybe she wouldn't have become so overprotective, fighting everything that wanted to hurt Ichigo to the point she even became acquainted with a giant Mexican. But...to think she really did it.

To think she really had beaten a ghost.

It was probably a sign that she ended up beating every hamfisted thug and bully, and even the more cowardly guys who stole and scammed money with words and turner backs. Maybe she should have stopped when the newspapers began to talk about her and say she was the reason Karakura was crime free. Maybe she was too overprotective of him, but the thought of that crybaby having become what he was today, the memory of the looks he cast at everything that reminded him of that day, the thought of Ichigo being turned into food for some sick ghost! "Arrrgh!" She slammed the ground with her palm. "I'll get you eventually! You can't get away from me! **Sung-Sun!** "

As her body finally collapsed on the pavement memories ran through her mind of children giggling on a playground as she stared at Ichigo.

It was such a stark difference back then, like his tears were made of marble, even though he was crying and snot poured out of his nose something innocent in him had died. Her eyes widened as he pulled down a part of his shirt showing off one of the most gruesome and upsetting things she had ever seen, sounds being heard from herself and Ichigo. Questions and answers that were being cried out as she eventually hugged him.

And then she heard of the giant snake, a monster wider than an adult and so long it could stretch across the football field. Pink eyes, a mouthful of teeth with dots under her eyes.

There was no doubt in her mind that he was telling the truth. It was seeing that wound that made her baby him as much as she could, that made her work out and tell him that there was nothing to worry about, no need to cry, and she did more than talk as she punched the daylights out of whoever wanted to hurt and change him anymore than he already was as a young child.

Her tears dried out long before her blood did.

"My God..." A pale raven haired woman, short and petite exclaimed her disbelief. "What on Earth could force someone to fight so fiercely?" Her Shinigami shihakushō blew in the wind. "We stand in awe before that which cannot be seen. We respect with every fiber of our being that which cannot be explained." The woman finished as she stared down at the bleeding woman. "But..." She shook her head. "No, now's not the time for that, I need to get someone to help her." She jumped down from the tenth story building to land right next to the human and took a moment to stare at her with purple eyes. "Whoever you are you'll be fine, but..." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I just hope all of you people in Karakura aren't this crazy, this is my duty, don't trouble yourself with it. Sleep, you aren't ready for our world yet, maybe in another life."

She looked down at the human girl now laying in her arms, blood dripping on her shihakushō from the arm wound. _Still, this power is just absurd. How on Earth did you even get it? This bears investigating, for so much Spirit Energy to have seeped into her that she can fight and even kill a Hollow is absurd! But what kind of beings does she hang around? I'll have to find out and report this._ She turned around and began to run.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"So it's supposed to be happening soon..." Tier said.

We all sat on the sand, myself close enough for Harribel to have her hand on my hip and my body cozy next to hers. "Yeah, it's happening a lot quicker than I imagined." Emilou said. "Guess I was panicking over nothing after all, had more time than any of us thought we did."

We were staring unto the night sky as we all sat close together. "I suppose we should be glad." I said. "There has to be a bright side if we're going to be put in all this danger."

"We do become stronger I guess, but I'm almost certain you'd prefer to get even more intimate Sung-Sun." Mila said.

"About right I suppose." The hand on me didn't move or twitch, I'll take that as a good sign. "I can't say either is a bad thing."

Emilou sighed. "Christ, you really have a one track mind don't you?"

"Well it's not like we have anything better to do, apart from ourselves and power what else is there? I hardly think it's a bad thing to pursue." I replied. "All we've ever done is indulge in simple hedonism and satisfy our emotions, I don't understand how this is any different."

"Yeah you're right just..." She didn't say anything more.

"Goodness, even after all this time you still yak on about love." Mila moaned.

"It's not a bad thing Rose, you should give it a try sometime." Mistress replied.

"With who?"

I could hear a sharp crack as Emilou grit her teeth. "Hey, are you trying to insult me?" She drawled out.

"What do you think numbskull?"

I sighed and whispered. "Those two are so hopeless, do they really only want to kill people?"

"No Sung-Sun, they just have some trouble expressing themselves." Harribel whispered into my ear.

"Well I hope they'll resolve it, the rising tension is so absurd it's become infectious. I'm surprised they haven't punched each others lights out yet. I think I'm even more amazed I've avoided pouring more fuel on the fire." I responded.

"They have yet to properly understand one another, it's a cause that binds them for the most part rather than another person...but it is impressive I'll admit. I did think that you would have taken a jab at them almost immediately, and to think you flung your weapon at Apacci."

"Well I had to keep the idiot attached to her arm, doing so literally was a rather pleasant bonus. So...there's no hope for them to stop arguing?" I moved my arm in between her breasts as her hand moved and stayed on my stomach.

"I'm sure they'll figure it out eventually." She stared into my eyes and I hers as my face was brought closer to her bone covered cheek.

"Can you two just hurry up and kiss already!?"

I looked over at her. "Well now, I had no idea you were so interested in us. Why-" I did my best peer at her, leaning forward as much as I could and staring straight at her. "If I didn't know better I might say you could be interested in joining us." I emphasized the look I was giving her by widening my eyes a little. "In fact, I think this isn't the first time you've done this either."

And every time my mood was murdered too.

"Huh?! What the hell are you trying to say?!"

I quit staring at her and gently lay back on Harribels body again. "Oh, there's nothing wrong with that, I don't actually mind all that much actually. You could also just sit back and admire her too, that one in particular will please my ego."

"What the fuck are you-?!"

"Can we just hurry up and do something useful you two?!" We turned to Mila.

"Stuff it Rose! Go bury yourself in some turds! Aren't you hearing her!?"

Where? Where did all this ridiculous tension come from? Right after what we just went through too, it was like a three sixty in relations!

"The hell did you say?! I was gonna say we practice Cero Sincrético but now I feel like doing something else!"

Mila and Apacci continued having a meltdown.

"Huh? Well why didn't ya just say so ya dimwit!" Right after finishing the sentence Emilou got punched right in the nose by Mila. "Agh-! What the hell Mila?! What the hell did you do that for?!"

"Didn't you just hear yourself?!"

"Let's do it." Harribel stood up. "It sounds like a powerful technique, and at the very least we have nothing to do."

"Huh?" She got awkward looks from the rest of us even as Franceska was the only one to say them. "But you fire it from your sword. How do you plan to use it when we fire ours differently?"

"Sung-Sun of course. She's my best bet, it's likely you'll be able to learn my way of doing it too. Of course I won't keep her. The three of you can likely perform Cero Sincrético. Are you three ready to do this then?"

"Yes Ma'am." The three of us said.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Hnmmm...huh?" She woke up to the sound of birds and the sun shining on her. Tatsuki looked for the other sound in the room because something kept beeping. "Oh...its a heart monitor." She rested her eyes for a moment before looking around the room again before spotting Orihime. "Huh? Orihime?" She reached her from the bed and shook her shoulders. "What are you doing here?"

Her friend began to wake up, muttering to herself before suddenly waking up. "Ah! Child eating giraffes Tatsuki!" Orihime suddenly grabbed her shoulders and started shaking her in turn. "We have to go Tatsuki! Before any more animals attack!"

"Woah! Calm down Orihime, what are you on about?"

Her friend took on an expression of great concern. "Don't you remember Tatsuki? You got mauled by a bear and it left all these teeth marks in you and even though you're doped up on pain medication I probably uh...shouldn't be so rough huh?" She gave an embarrassed laugh and stopped shaking her.

"A bear? What are you talking about? Orihime? I'm just fine, I must be-" She shut up when her bandages unraveled around her dominant arm. She was silent and wide eyed as she looked at the mess her right arm had become, teeth marks as wide as three fingers, even the stitches couldn't hide the sheer size of the teeth. "Woah..."

"Yeah, it's pretty incredible right? Now when all those mean people show up you can just show them your arms and they're gonna run in a panic! Ursine Arisawa they'll scream as they run off in a panic like a formula one jet car with humongous aerodynamic wings! And Crocodile Dundee will have to contend with you now! Isn't it great Tatsuki?" Her friend made a bunch of extravagant gestures as she spoke.

She laughed as her friend got carried away in daydreams once again. "Hehe, you really think I could muscle in on his territory? Hey...you're actually right!" She shot up from the bed as she realised that yes, she could probably make it big on T.V. "Would that actually be alright though? I mean, I'm only fifteen and all."

"Well there's no reason not to try right!" Her friend declared brightly as she clapped her hands and tilted her head. "I mean, you could be some kinda bounty hunter too if you want! No one in their right mind would mess with you!"

Tatsuki gave a rough chuckle. "Only once I'm sure the crybabies in town have finally learned their lesson. Well, I guess those two could cover for me while I beat the punks next town over huh?"

"Yeah! And it'd turn into one really exciting chase scene where the bad guys try and drive away and go pew pew bang bang as they kept shooting you!" Orihime made finger guns and mimed shooting into thin air with much enthusiasm.

"Heh, so how long have you been here Orihime?" Tatsuki's face shifted into one of concern.

"Oh, a few days or so. I don't know how long myself! Ahah!" Her busty orange haired friend laughed and clapped her hands again.

"Days?! Orihime!-"

"I know I know, I got into trouble with the nurses too. But I wouldn't take no for an answer! Nuh-uh, not when my best friend got hurt." She winked and pointed at her chest. "You can always count on me to be right next to you Tats!"

She sighed and gave a fond smile in response. "Thanks Orihime. I suppose I needed this. Still...a bear huh?" She looked down at her arm. "Yeah, nothing else can give me injuries like this, why would I think that. Hey, does anyone know anything about the bear?"

"Huh? Oh no, the authorities are already looking for it though, so don't worry! You can have a rematch with that bear and show it not to be so mean!"

"Hm, yeah, but...can a bear really have teeth this gigantic?" She whispered the last part to herself in confusion as she looked at her wounds. "I mean...I guess nothing else could leave scars like this huh?"

She could faintly remember it, giant with light brown fur, but she couldn't remember if it even had eyes or a nose. She shook her head.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

I crouched under Mila.

"Hmm..." Mila gave a disgruntled groan. "So you remember it being done like this right? With one of them a fair bit above or below the other and both Ceros center right?"

"Yes Mila, it was just like that."

"Right right, but...do you really need to be so close?" She muttered.

"Look," I peeled my back from her front and turned to face her, right hand covering my face. "I know you may not like skin to skin contact or being so close to me but we have to be professional about this, it's because-"

"The Ceros can have more distance between them I know just...do you have to be that close? You're like latex you know that? Can we have a bit more, y'know, distance?"

I looked down and sighed. "In a fight with life and death on the line we have to get over this, this wastes the least amount of time."

"Yeah just, can you watch where you put your ass?"

I looked up at her. "No. Now come on, we need to get this right."

"Fine," She rolled her eyes. "Let's do it then."

"Good." I got back into position and saw Harribel and Emilou practicing, Harribel cutting through Emilou's attack at the right moment while trying to fire her own off. "Hmm..."

"Hey-"

"I'm just trying to learn the easy way but alright." I sighed. "If you really want to flail about that badly then I'll indulge you."

"I'm the one indulging you, you stick to me better than my own damn skin!"

"Then why aren't you firing already?"

"Tch, fine, I was about to get to it."

"Then hu-" I took a deep breath. Manners Cyan, try and use them. "When you're ready."

"...I'm surprised you held that one in." I decided to just relax on her instead and remove my tension to make an unspoken point. "You know it might actually help to stab me? This whole thing would go much better if my ability is in play. Are you sure you're comfortable? Your head looks a little uncomfortable there." I gave her a narrowed eyed and quizzical look from the metal breastplate of my friend. "It only lasts for so long you know? It won't run out in something like a day but I need to reacquaint myself with your Reiryoku once again."

I shrugged. "Oh alright."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

 _My name is Ichigo Kurosaki, I'm fifteen years old, so I'm a high school student. My family runs a medical clinic, maybe it's because we're entrusted with the lives of the living, I'm not sure, but for as long as I can remember I've been able to see the souls of the dearly departed._

The young orange haired man opened his door. "I'm home."

"YAH!" Ichigo Kurosaki got kicked in the face by his dear old dad again.

"You let your guard down, always stay alert when you enter a room, and your late for dinner again." His black haired dad lectured him as his son got laid out on the floor.

Ichigo sprang back up and got in his father's face. "C'mon! Is that any way to greet your own son after he just risked his life to help a spirit find peace!?"

"Silence! Oh so it's the ghost's fault now is it? I suppose it was ghosts that left your room a mess too!" Farther and son butted heads and started to punch each other. "When are ya gonna show some discipline? Just because you see ghosts and I don't,-" The farther took to making karate noises as the fight began to take place midair.

Two girls sat at the table, one black haired and eating calmly from her bowl while the other glanced at them with concern. "Hey stop the fighting you two, come over here and eat your dinner." Yuzu said. She was the young cook, who even wore an apron to the dinner table and had light blonde hair.

"Let em fight, more rice for me." Karin held her bowl out.

"That's not very nice Karin."

"Fwoooh!" Ichigo's farther was about to flatten his son's face! Only to get punched into the wall.

"I gotta tell ya dad! For any normal healthy high school kid a seven o' clock curfew is totally uncool!" The son pointed down at his farther as a wisp showed up next to his shoulder.

"Ichigo, speaking of uncool you have a new one." Karin resumed eating as the bright blue wisp turned into ghost.

"Hey? How long have you been there?" He swiped at the ghost, only for it to keep dodging. "Take a hike will ya?! Ya damn pest!"

"Ugh, I'm so done." Karin set her bowl down and finally looked at her big brother. "Poor Ichigo, dad or ghost its something."

Yuzu leaned forward, clearly excited and giddy. "I think its kinda lucky to be able to see ghosts. I sorta sense their presence sometimes but that's about it."

Her sister glanced back at her. "I don't see what the big deal is with ghosts, I don't even believe in em."

Yuzu gasped! Absolutely! Shocked! "Karin, I don't see how you can say something like that. I thought you had the power to see spirits too."

Karin turned to her fully now. "I'm in permanent denial, just seeing them doesn't make me believe in them."

Everyone was struck. Even the ghost felt a cold shoulder to that one. Only Ichigo had a reply to that one. "Like my dinner." The grumpy teen sighed.

"You let your guard down again!" His father slide tackled his very own son!

A fight was started, and this time had a winner as both father and son punched the other right in the face. "Gotcha, urfg, no charge for the lesson." Isshin Kurosaki said as he fell to the floor.

The young lad rubbed his face. "Never mind dinner, I'm going to my room."

"No wait Ichigo-" Yuzu said. But it was too late as the door had already closed, leaving behind only a confused father as his son departed in a mood.

"Wow, you sure have a way with kids don't you." Karin said to her farther.

"Karin what did I do?!" The dad sprung up again, still full of energy.

"Ichigo is kinda having a tough time right now." Yuzu said.

"Yeah, he said he's seeing more spirits lately than ever before." Karin added on.

"What! Why would he talk about these things with you two instead of coming to his own dad?! It doesn't make sense!"

"Sure it does." Karin drawled out.

"Wha?!"

"For one thing your over forty, and for another emotionally you're still at a preschool level dad, admit it."

His daughters comments drove the hardworking delirious man to run to his wife. "Oh dear wife! Maybe it's because they're hitting puberty but why are they being so cold to me? What do I do? What do I do?" He sobbed on the giant photo of his wife, which held the words; Masaki Forever on the top in pink.

"Well for starters you might wanna take down that poster." Karin, his grumpy daughter said.

That resulted in one last pitiful sob from her father.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Ichigo walked back to a certain street in the morning, one where he stuck up for the deceased spirit of a little girl. Although he defeated the clumsy thugs who knocked over the flowers meant for her he came back with a vase full of flowers for her, but as he came around the corner...

"Hello?" He yelled. He saw no one around, not even the girl. But then he heard a horrendous scream in the distance.

The brave young boy ran towards it as the street in front of him suddenly imploded, smoke wafting away from the giant creature with a mask on its face. "Woah, what's that?" But then he saw the little girl he was looking for run away from the giant creature. "Run, hurry!" He yelled at her as she ran alongside him.

The centipede like creature pursued them

"What is that thing?!"

"I dunno!" He answered back.

However! She tripped over and fell, Ichigo couldn't just let her lay down here, but if he stayed then surely he'd die! But a black butterfly flew in front of him, a small woman having already cut the teeth from the monsters face. As the woman, who's entrance was hidden by the butterfly cut through its face she sheathed her sword before giving a look at him. As Ichigo stood in awe he glanced around, at the giant claw marks on the tall buildings before looking for the little girl he came originally for. Only to see nothing.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Cuenta Regresiva." I swiped my hand through the air, holding my sai with the least amount of effort possible. Harribel fired off her own Cero the moment I did so.

We were getting results.

Miniscule ones...

Hollows weren't really cut out for this, our Reiryoku was for us and just us alone, at least that's what I choose to believe. That rationalized the inability to utilize Kidō, along with a few other things, our techniques were named differently simply because our very Soul was made of something different from other species. And ours truly was not made for teamwork, the tradeoff being Arrancar were superior and had no need for teamwork. And that was ignoring the fact that Ayon, poor sweet Ayon was now the strongest thing in all the three worlds.

I looked at those two, they were doing rather well all things considered.

And then Apacci pulled her head back a bit. "Hey...you're stabbing me in the chin Emilou." She glowered down at her partner as her chin was pierced by a bone horn.

"Huh? Why don't you move your head back? Don't you do that when you fire a Cero?" Emilou brought her head down.

"Yeah but it's a bit irritating to keep it that way all the time." I got back in my position and glanced at Harribel, only to see her watching them too. "And my ability is already active... _so stop stabbing me!_ "

"Well I don't mean too! If you're gonna keep nagging me then maybe I should work with Sung-Sun!" She stepped back and looked at Mila with her ice blue and amber eye.

"What are you stupid? Have you already forgotten what Lady Harribel told us to do? She explicitly mentioned us two and as much as it pains me it has to be just us!" Rose looked down at her as she retorted.

"Yeah well she won't have to listen to you nag me about moving my head around! I think I might've liked you better if you kept your mouth shut."

I palmed my face.

"Listen here you disrespectful little runt-"

"Ma'am, I think this is the part where we leave." I spoke.

"Perhaps you're right, maybe they'll solve it out of their own accord if we give them some space." She began to walk back home and I followed her, as always. "It is confusing though, they're far more aggressive than they've ever been before. I suppose their emotions must have become difficult to handle, well, we'll get over it as a team if we have to."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Ichigo lay back on his bed, brooding and looking up at the ceiling while still in his uniform. _Who was she? I can't make any sense of what happened out there today._ "Huh?" He saw a black butterfly come into the room through the open window. His eyes diluted as he saw it, and then the woman herself jumped through the window, landing on his desk as she did so. "What the hell are you doing here?" She continued staring off into space for approximately four seconds. Then drew her sword. "Waah! Put that thing away! You're not slashing me up!" He crawled to the opposite side of the bed as quickly as he could. She got down and seemed to look at everywhere him. "Hey!" He shouted.

"I feel it." She whispered. _Its getting closer._ "Huwargh!"

That sound was followed up by her crashing into his stuff as he kicked her in the back. "Who are you and what do you want!" He was clearly annoyed by his voice alone. "If you think you're a burglar you're not a very good one!" He pointed down at her as she stared at nothing, confused beyond belief. "For starters you shouldn't talk to yourself!"

She turned to look at him. "You...kicked me. But I can't be seen by ordinary humans." She sounded confused. "Are you saying you can see me?"

"Well...considering that was my _foot_ I planted in your behind, you tell me." He put his hands in his pockets.

"You were the one I saw in town earlier, I remember." She looked up at him. As in, if he were a woman she could motorboat him without having to crouch down at all.

"Boy, nothing gets by you." His town was dry and even, and most definitely being sarcastic.

She grasped his chin, turning it this way and that as she examined him. "How very strange, you look normal but you must be defective in some way." At those words he swatted her hand away.

"Urgh, I'll show ya defective!" She went to kick the fun sized dead girl only for her to dodge it and stomp on his head, shoving him to the floor. "Who are you?" He asked.

"You want to know? Then I'll tell you, I'm a Soul Reaper."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Alright, so you're something called a Soul Reaper." Ichigo had his eyes closed as he went over what she told him.

"Mhmh." She nodded.

"And you're telling me that you were sent here on a mission by something called the Soul Society."

"Hm." She nodded.

"To deal with demons like the one we saw on the street today."

"Hmhm." She nodded.

"Which was chasing that girl's soul."

"Hmhm." She nodded.

"That's all believable to me." He flipped his shit, table in particular. "ALONG WITH FLYING PIGS AND THE TOOTH FAIRY!"

She gave him the most disgusted and confused look that was possible and slammed her palm to the floor. "How dare you, why wouldn't you believe in Soul Reapers when you just admitted you can see spirits!"

He stepped up to her challenge. "I've never seen or heard of Soul Reapers before and frankly, your whole story is just too incredible. I don't believe in anything I can't see."

And because he saw a heart thanks to his dads work he's allowed to give lectures to nihilistic ghosts.

"Well you see me don't you?" She stood up. Not very intimidating.

"Well that's true," He closed his eyes in agreement. "And I'd agree with the fact that you're not human." He opened his eyes. "But why don't you go play your Soul Reaper game somewhere else?" He petted the human corgi. "Okay little brat? Now run along."

The blood veins in her face were close to exploding from sheer anger as a sharp smile full of teeth grew on her face. "I'm a brat am I?" She put two fingers to his torso. "Bakudō No. One: Sai!" His arms suddenly came up behind his back and locked themselves there.

She looked down at the bright haired idiot. "I-I can't move! What did you do to me?" He was clearly struggling to break it by the various twitches and sounds he was making.

She looked down with cat like eyes and the satisfied grin of a sadist. "Paralysis. I've used what's called a Kidō on you. It's a high level incantation only we Soul Reapers can cast. It's useless to struggle against it, you're just wasting your energy. I may look young to you, but I have lived nearly ten of your lifetimes, I would kill you on the spot for your insults if it weren't against my orders, so _you_ little brat may be grateful."

"You've got nerve." He said as he looked up at her from the ground.

"And now!-" She pulled out her sword and held it overhead. He closed his eyes before hearing a moan and looking to his right.

"It's that ghost from yesterday!" He saw the pommel of her sword placed against its forehead.

"No! Please don't!" The ghost cried out, actual tears brimming in the old man's eyes. "I don't want to be sent to the underworld." He said. It must have been a terrifying sight as she smiled, before she wiped away his concerns.

"You needn't worry, because you are bound for a better place. The Soul Society. There, your soul will be at peace." She said. She lifted her sword, showing a tattoo of Japanese letters having been left on his forehead. It shined brightly as a pure blue portal opened up beneath him, before vanishing as the man sunk into the portal to the realm of the dead. The Soul Society.

"Where'd he go? What'd ya do to him?" Ichigo asked.

She placed her sword back in it's sheath as she turned to look at him. "I sent his spirit to the Soul Society. It's one of the main responsibilities of a Soul Reaper, people here sometimes call it 'passing on'." She looked down at him again. "Now I'll explain to you why I'm here and I'll use small words so you can understand it." She reached into her Shihakushō to pull something out. "There are two types of spirits in this world."

Ichigo's jaw dropped as she pulled out a piece of paper. "The first kind are the normal spirits, called Wholes, the ghosts that you see are usually this kind." They were represented by a dorky looking rabbit with love hearts around it. "The second kind are evil spirits known as Hollows. The Hollows attack people living or dead in order to devour their souls." And they were represented by some kind of albino panda surrounded by darkness and thunder. "Any questions before I go on?" Her face was completely serious as she sat there and held up her sketchbook.

"First of all...why do your drawings suck so bad?" He blinked, and the moment he realised she drew a twirly mustache on him he screamed. "You'll pay for this!"

"Let us continue with the lesson monsieur, there are two main jobs for Soul Reapers. First, to lead Wholes to the Soul Society through Konsō, as I just did. Second, to exercise the Hollows wherever we find them."

"The Hollow with the bug body this afternoon, why was it chasing that girl?"

"That I don't know, we have yet to fully understand what motivates the Hollows to do the things they do."

A horrific sound, ripping buildings, some kinda horrific groaning rang out. "What was that?" He asked.

"One thing we do know there is still a second Hollow prowling somewhere nearby."

"Then what the hell are you waiting for? Go out there and kill it."

She looked down, a mildly troubled look on her face. "I would but I can't seem to detect its location. Usually I have no trouble finding a Hollow that's close by, but here it's as if my senses are being jammed by some powerful force.-"

"What are you deaf? There's something huge howling out there. That sound has to be a Hollow." He said gruffly.

She turned to him. "Something howling? What do you mean?" That horrific waling rang out again, making her gasp and stand back up with a hand in her sheath. "Now I hear it, definitely a Hollow."

"That's what I've been telling you!" He heard a little girl's scream. "That's Yuzu!" The Soul Reaper ran off. "Hey wait! Untie me!"

She opened the door and put a hand to her face as Spiritual Pressure buffeted her on the spot. _This Spiritual Pressure is some of the strongest I've ever felt, how can I not have sensed it earlier?_ "Ichigo..." A little girl in a pink hoodie slowly walked past her and collapsed right in front of Ichigo's door. "Ah!"

"Yuzu! What happened?"

"Ah, Ichigo, Karin's been-" She started to sob and reach for her brother. "Ichigo you've gotta save her." She gave one more sound of pain as the Spiritual Pressure knocked her out cold.

"Hey! You've gotta let me go!" The woman ran towards the danger as Karin screamed. "Hey you gotta cut me free."

She descended the staircase and saw the Hollow grip the girl in just one hand. "Argh! Put me down!" She screamed in pain. As she drew her sword she saw the boy tumble down the stairs.

"Stay out of it!" She shouted at him, but then she became taken aback when he somehow stood on his feet again. "How can he be on his feet when he's under my spell?" The uppity teen bumped into her arm as he moved "Fool! You'll only get in the way!"

"Shut up!" His eyes widened as he saw the giant masked monster squeeze down on his sister, he began to bare his teeth as memories flowed through him. "Karin!" He struggled, putting as much force as possible into breaking the incantation.

"Stop!" Her voice was like that of a concerned teacher. "The Kidō is too strong for a normal human to break, if you keep trying you'll only cause damage to your soul!" Except it did begin to break. _What? He's breaking the Kidō, but that's impossible._ With one last yell of effort he broke it and charged at the Hollow. "Don't do it!"

He charged at it with a chair of all things! Did he really expect to beat it with just that?! "Ichigo! Get me outta here!" As he jumped at it the Hollow pulled Karin away with his closed fist and destroyed Ichigo with a swift punch from the other.

"K-Karin..." He grunted.

"I found you!" The Hollow said. It reared up it's palm to smash him into submission but he dodged, right on time as Rukia cut the beast's arm. As Karin flew from its grasp the Hollow roared as it disappeared.

"Karin, no!" Rukia landed in front of him, bearing her sword in the direction the Hollow fled too.

"Don't worry, she'll be alright. The Hollow left without devouring either of your sisters souls."

"Are you sure?!" He asked back in concern.

"Yes. It's seeking a specific soul to eat, one with a much higher concentration of Spirit Energy. In fact, the Hollow earlier was hungry for that soul too not the girl's."

"But why?"

"For some reason most of your Spirit Energy was hidden deep within you untill now, when you needed it to save your sister. There's her too of course but her Spirit Energy trickled into nothing after her crazy stunt, and it was borrowed too. That's why I didn't sense anything unusual about you until I arrived. It also explains why the Hollows haven't come after you. The Spirit Energy you had bottled up inside you started to pour out when you made contact with that young girl's ghost. As a result your soul became exposed, those two Hollow's today detected your soul through that girl, and they were using her to track it down, which means...the Hollows are really after you." She turned her head to look at him as she said the last bit. The darkness of the night casting shadows on their faces as they looked at each other.

His eyes wobbled. "Those things...want me?"

The Hollow reappeared and stared down the one who cut it. "It's back, get outta here!" She yelled at him.

He stood up. "No! So the vicious attack on that poor girl, were because of me?"

"That's one way to look at it."

"And now both of my sisters can wind up dead and the whole thing is my fault?" He had flashbacks to the faces his sister wore, to the duty he had as a big brother, to the smiling image of his mother, and ran at it.

"Stop!"

"Ya lazy eyed coward! Quit attackin' others! If it's my soul ya want, come n' get it! Fight me one on one you ugly bastard!" The Hollow roared in response, it's tongue leaping out the mask and rearing it's fist back to sate its hunger.

"Oh no!"

He ignored the Soul Reaper's yell of concern and watched the fist come closer. Up until she got in its way to shield him, having a giant chunk of her shoulder bitten into. The Hollow reared back, it's Mask having taken some damage and bleeding because of it.

"Soul Reaper!" He watched her fall on the road, blood falling from her shoulder and sword.

Her breaths were shaky. "You...are a fool...how could you possibly have thought...you were any match for a Hollow? Did you really think that everything would be over if you gave him your soul? One soul doesn't satisfy them for long." Pained sounds came from her as she struggled to even lift her face from the road. "If you don't stop interfering then we're all going to end up as its food!" The Hollow stopped clutching the bleeding cut on its Mask, but she couldn't possibly fight it. She crawled over to the post lamp in order to rest against it. "I'm too injured to fight - you - want to - save your family?" She struggled to speak through the pain and exertion.

"Of course I do! If there's a way then tell me how."

"It will only be temporary...but...you must become a Soul Reaper yourself."

"What?"

"You must take my Zanpakutō and run it through to the center of your being, so that I may pour my powers into you." The Hollow roared. "I can't guarantee that you will live, but if it doesn't work it won't matter." The road was being crushed as the Hollow walked towards them, neither of them deigned to look at it.

"Then give me that blade, Soul Reaper." The smallest of smiles was on his face. He clutched the blade with a bare hand.

"My name is Rukia Kuchiki."

It was running now.

"And my name is-" It ran even faster and was about to crush his head. "Ichigo Kurosaki." The blade was pushed through his chest, and a blue light enveloped the street.

The aftermath?

One cleanly severed arm, wider than a house's wall and bigger than a man laying behind Ichigo. "How could this have happened?" Rukia looked down at her hand. "I meant to give him only half of my powers but somehow he's taken nearly all of it." She didn't even have her Shihakushō anymore, so drained was she of her Spirit.

"This ends now." He stood with a humongous blade perched on one shoulder and held in just one hand.

 _What kind of being is he? I've never seen a human with Spirit Energy this strong. That was what jammed my senses before! I've never heard of a human with the strength to break a Kidō on his own, and I have_ **never** _seen a Soul Reaper_ _wield such a huge Zanpakutō_.

He charged down the street and with just a swipe cut it's leg clean off with such force it was sent flying! As the Hollow toppled over he spoke. "You will pay the price for hurting my family you Hollow scum, feel the wrath of my blade!" With a yell of exertion he split it straight down the middle, turning it to dust.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

As the measly Adjucha hollered and yelled as it threw it's meager spiritual weight around it charged at me.

A monkeys tactic, it struck with its ego first before its fists. Perhaps it wanted to cow me into submission? Maybe it wanted the thrill of the chase, but I really didn't care for it.

I cared for something else.

A song was playing from the radio I stole so long ago, and as I shattered its hip with a simple open toed kick I listened to it intently.

Orange Range - Asterisk.

It was the first time it had ever played.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Tell me about any spelling mistakes. Shameful that I'm even asking but I felt I had to release as it was. Perhaps it was just my laziness speaking?

This chapter was supposed to come out so much earlier, dreadfully sorry about the wait, next chapter is resolving the tension again and more scenes with Rukia and Ichigo.

Spent about three days on this chapter. Two days were back to back and the last came much later. Didn't expect the chapter to be so humongous, but in three days I did it. I got the DVD box set for Christmas, and saw some scenes I could alter more than just the meeting. So I spent a few minutes editing the chapter almost daily.

 **cane-jian!** Y-uh...no not really. Like the original she's got to make the Muda technique...from scratch...hm. As second fiddle she'll either make it or make something similar.

You know your review reminds me that there was a hefty amount cut from the last chapter. Sung-Sun sinking into the sand and moving through it without problem and Cero Sincrético. I cut the latter because it would utterly obliterate him and I cut the former because I'm a forgetful fuck.

Whoops? Well damn. I'm still confused about how quickly he broke Muda. It was his ability rather than him talking out his ass right? Simply being stronger can't break it right?

 **I love Netorare too...** about right. He provided knowledge and an ability because the Tres Bestia don't have their own individual abilities. It's about right. Not too far from the truth at all, though someone mentioned his actual use a while ago. I think I tried to be as coy as possible when I addressed him. Reading this must suck for future readers.


	18. Eighteenth Summer

**So...it's been a bit huh? A month and ten days. 1-03 to 2-13, so technically not. But I will be harsh on myself. I've left an Author's Note at the end to give a proper explanation as well as answer reviews like I always do. But for those who don't care to read it I won't be at my previous pace for awhile. I'm sorry** **I kept you waiting.**

I woke.

I sat up fairly quickly and stretched my arms out above my head, feeling an odd amount of energy suffuse me this morning.

In fact, I felt so energetic I could go out and fight something right now without a care. I gave a brief look at everyone else before tilting my head up and yawning at the ceiling. No way could I let them see me in such an undignified manner.

I pulled my head down and glanced at all those around me, only to see Emilou and Mila be suspiciously comfy around one another in their sleep, in fact they...I sighed at the thought, for all I knew it probably was what I suspected it of being but I guess that doesn't matter.

Typically I would be livid at them for the shallow drama, but today was not a day for anything other than casual romance, today was a day for soul bound partners appreciating the work and dedication of the other, the reaffirmation of _why_ we stuck by, trusted, and loved another.

I made the rare decision to get up out of the bed of my own accord, eventually coming to look at the sleeping form of Tier Harribel, I brushed some hair out of the way as I leaned down to kiss a bony cheek before leaving.

I had some training to do.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Gooooooooooooooood

Morrrrrrnniiiiinggggg

 **Ichigo!!!!!**

Ichigo was awoken by his father energetically stomping on his face with both feet.

"Are you nuts!? What kinda sick twisted freak attacks his own son while he's lying there sleepin'?!"

"Ugh you are getting good. It looks like there's nothing left for me to teach you my son." Isshin struggled to speak through the pain of having his face harshly gripped.

A realization came to Ichigo then, lifting up his dad by his collar he spoke. "Wait a minute! What happened to Karin and Yuzu's injuries from last night?" He looked into his dad's eyes, firmly ignoring the red handprint on his face.

"Injuries? What're you talking about?"

"What?" The son was just as confused as the father.

But then things fell into place.

"It's a miracle! Truck plows right into our house and none of us get so much as a single scratch!" His dad joyously yelled.

"What's more miraculous is the fact that none of us even woke up when it happened." The snarkier sister said back in response. She wasn't exactly wrong either.

 _I don't get it, their wounds are completely gone._ Ichigo stared at the hole in their house. _They think that a truck did all this? Could this have been the work of that Soul Reaper?_

"Ichigo, you better hurry up and eat breakfast or you're gonna be late." His younger sister Yuzu gamely carried on with cooking something in the open air.

"Yeah..." He replied. _I wonder if she returned to that place she was talking about. The Soul Society._

He attended school, as usual.

Sitting back, relaxed as can be as his friends talked about it all.

They just got done talking about his house when some footsteps came up behind them, probably that one chick who tried being a goth.

"So, what's next?" He asked.

"Language Lab." Keigo Asano replied.

Wasn't that modern literature?

The footsteps stopped right behind him. "Hello, you're Ichigo aren't you?" A young woman asked.

He turned around. "Huh? Wha?" He stared wide eyed at her.

"I'll be sitting next to you from now on, my name is Rukia Kuchiki."

From there on the future one man feared began to take shape.

Ichigo walked down the path of a Soul Reaper in Rukia's stead, taking her place since he accidentally robbed her of her own power.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Gold painted the sky, grey and black clouds the only thing to see a falling sun, unless you're in a space station or something. _Man, I'm sure glad Arisawa was there to help, I just wish she got the number plate of that guy._

Ichigo was walking down the street, a rather familiar and important riverbank to his left...and a familiar tag-along following him.

Rukia Kuchiki, the Soul Reaper stuck in a Gigai.

Both were thinking about Orihime and that bruise on her leg to pay too much attention to that important place, but that wouldn't exactly last for long.

"Man, first Tatsuki and her arm, and then Orihime and her leg. I have no idea why those two have become so unlucky lately."

Rukia stopped cupping her chin as her head rose to look at him. "Hmm? Oh!" Her eyes shot wide open. "That Arisawa girl right? I'm amazed to see her up and about so quickly, is she in my class by any chance?"

He turned his head to look back at her. "Huh? Why the sudden interest? It's not like she's actually going to be in class with her arm all banged up like that, but yeah, she's in it."

"Well...she's incredibly powerful for a human being, I'd like to investigate and find out why that is." Her eyes roamed down and alighted on three legendary craters. "It could be that she hangs around interesting people...or places, like this one." She stopped and turned in the direction of the riverbank. "Does she hang around this spot?"

He stopped. "We can go down if you want. I've been down there plenty of times, all the other kids shunned me for it. Except Tatsuki, but I've been down there far more than she has."

She turned to face him, he still had his back to her but that didn't stop her from emoting. "What!? Are you spiritually deaf? Can't you sense that sheer wrongness?!" Even from other here she could feel it, the leftover malice and corruption from four legendary Hollows. The fact that the vileness still existed was no surprise, no Hollow had ever evolved in the Human World before, so for- she took a step back as what he said fully sunk in. "No...don't tell me...you two stepped in there when you were children!? How stupid can you possibly be Ichigo!?"

"Not in the crater no." He began turning to look down at the riverbank, revealing the stoic expression on his face. "I hung around another spot instead." He shrug off his bag, leaving it on the ground. "C'mon, let's go."

"Wha?! Ichigo! Don't you understand what happened here!? And why are you leaving your bag like that?! You're just begging to be robbed!"

"You speak like you have experience." He said as he trundled down the slope. "Besides, no one's gonna want to rob anything on me once I step on here."

Her retort to his embarrassing...if correct guess was cut off by his last statement. "What do you mean?"

"No one else comes down here, a slight part of it is because whatever you have on you breaks apart, some people even report that their skin was somehow damaged, like acid had been poured on them. Any longer and whatever caused it would probably go more than skin deep."

"What? Well why did you come here then if people get hurt?" She asked as she stepped down the slope to follow him. _Does Captain Kurotsuchi know about any of this? Do I report it to him?_

"Because this is the spot where my mother died." They both stopped completely as he stared at a single, unremarkable spot in front of him.

"What?" Her eyes were wide as she uttered that simple word.

"I can still remember it, as clear as day. It had rained that night, and I ran at the river to pull up some kid who just fell in, but the next thing I know my mother's dead and right on top of me. It was the same night those craters had appeared."

"Ichigo...do you know what happened that night?" Her eyes narrowed after she said that. _No, he couldn't. Not a single file or report had mentioned a single human except...huh?! There was a single pool of blood that was being washed away by the rain, Soifon had noted that there was a faint blood trail too, but she couldn't follow up on it with the immediate threat._

"Yeah...when I came too a bunch of freaks were around me. In fact, I even got a scar from one of them."

Her eyes shot open, wider than they had ever been before. "...Could I see it?"

He gave her an odd look. "Are you sure? I mean, what if someone looks?"

She frowned at him. "Oh don't be such a child! Come on and show me already."

"Sheesh fine. Here you go." He pulled down the clothes on his shoulder, showing four scars as wide as her Zanpakutō's hilt. "...Are you done yet?!"

"Huh? Well...you're surprisingly shy huh? Sure whatever." A sly grin was on her face as she said that, but became serious as she continued on. "Can you tell me more? I know that its a sensitive subject, and that you may not want to, but it could help us immensely."

"I don't know what to say, I just woke up and got bit on the shoulder, anything after that I don't remember."

She walked closer to stand right behind him. _Wait. Do I actually tell him anything?_ She quickly continued talking so as to not give off her thoughts. "Hm." She gave a nod in agreement. "Wow...so you were really there huh? You know that this is a fairly legendary battle ground right?" An accidental slip of the tongue, not a bad one since it didn't exactly give anything away.

"Yeah, I kinda gathered. The craters were only there a day after." He nodded as he looked at a crater not too far from his face.

She looked at him, and after a few moments of deliberation decided to do something she really _shouldn't_ do. But not right now. "I suppose I should tell you something I never had the time to do, but I suppose that will have to come later, I have something that I'll need to think on in the meanwhile. Well, I'll be going home." Her hand cupped her chin again.

"Sure you don't want me to walk you back to the clinic? your hand is open." He walked back up the slope.

"Open? What on earth are you talking about?" As she looked at the back of her hand she could see that her skin was beginning to crack. _Jesus! I guess I better ask for a lecture from one of Squad Twelves staff._ She massaged and rubbed her hand. _I suppose I can tell him what happened here later, Orihime and her leg are of more concern right now. Or perhaps it's best to leave him ignorant? There's a myriad of reasons to, its my job for starters, and he'll never see the Hollow evolution cycle in action either, but perhaps it would be the right thing to do._

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Glad mom's food made it through that car accident, I'll track him down later okay? You can't just put up with reckless drivers like that Orihime." Tatsuki lectured her friend.

"Ah! Homemade beef and potatoes! Oh, but you don't have to do that. We are a fairly large town after all, you don't have to trouble yourself that much." Orihime opened the door and went to the kitchen.

"Still..." Tatsuki decided to say no more, instead deciding to sit down and wait for the food. Minding her arm in the meantime, checking that the cast was still in place and not unraveling.

As they sat down and ate they chatted about the current day's events.

Talking about all the interesting gossip and probable outcomes of it all.

A light thud interrupted their conversation.

They both went to investigate the torn teddy bear that had just fell to the floor.

Orihime fussed over it like a young girl, only for another disturbing paranormal event to happen. "W-what? Is this...blood?" Orihime whispered as her palm suddenly got a gash in it.

She was then thrown to the other end of the room. "Orihime?! Ugh!" Tatsuki was thrown back too, and glanced at her left arm only to see it bleeding. "What happened? Why am I bleeding?"

Pain began to wrack her body as she was thrown across the wall and crushed. And most importantly of all...felt the acid begin to seep into her bones.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Someone's up there already." Karin dryly stated.

"Wow, she had to climb up there pretty early to beat us to the top." Ichigo began to focus on what his sisters were talking about.

That was when he started freaking out. "Uh-huh. Although isn't she awfully happy for someone who's visiting a grave?" Her sister replied.

Yuzu turned to him. "She's waving like she knows you." She pointed at the small black haired woman waving her hat at him.

"Uh-uh, no way, I-I've never seen her before!" He desperately shook his head and tried to ignore Rukia.

"There is something familiar about her, I wonder if I've seen her somewhere before?" Karin cupped her chin.

"Hey! No don't say that! As a matter of fact I think I do know her! She's a girl from my class in high school maybe I should talk to her or something ya know? Eheheheh... I'll go on ahead and have a little chat with her, you go on ahead to mom's grave alright?!" His panic made him run right past her and snatch her hand.

"Ah ha..." Karin got a smug grin on her face.

The sun shined down on the little dirt path they both stood on.

Ichigo having taken her ran to a small patch of nature right near the graveyard.

Nice and out of the way.

"What are you doing following me here Rukia?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here in case a Hollow shows up, you certainly can't handle it yourself."

"Then way to keep a low profile in front of my family! Why were you waving at me like that?" He aggressively gestured at her.

"I suppose I could have been more discreet I just didn't think of it."

He backed off in the face of her honesty. "That's okay, so what are you upset about?"

"Actually I'm not upset about anything." She looked down. "Listen, about your mother, I heard you mention that someone killed her."

"I didn't say that."

"But you never said _who_ killed her."

"Listen just drop it okay?"

She continued on, calmly. "When I first met you, you said you'd been able to see spirits since you were very young. Ichigo, I need you to answer one more question." She calmly and ignorantly stepped onto a minefield without discretion or tact. "Your mother, could she have been killed by...a Hollow?" His eyes widened, she stepped forward to make her point known. "Do you think that its possible? If your spiritual capabilities were that high as a child, then there may have been a Hollow who sensed you, and when it came after you it could have-" She finally stepped on something.

"Stop it! Just shut up!" She stepped back as he snapped at her. "Why does everything always have to be about Hollows with you anyway? Krgh, you'll never understand the pain and suffering that I have to live with every single day. Are you trying to heap on the misery?" He marched off.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"So? What is it Orihime? You said you had something important you wanted to tell me about Ichigo?" Tatsuki reached into the bag of crisps with an uninjured arm, both of them finally having healed. "What's it all about?" She graced her friend with a small smile.

"Wait till you hear this, I think I've figured out the mystery of Ichigo."

"The mystery?" She leaned back with her arm resting on her knee.

"You see, I think Ichigo is actually some kind of superhero, and he's been sent here on a mission to protect earth." Orihime gave a bright smile.

"Ah, a superhero?" She gave a brief chuckle and rested her chin on the back of her hands. "The first time I saw your superhero, we were both only four." Arisawa was so lost in memory she could even smell the floor boards of the old dojo. "I was at the dojo when I started my training and I saw him come in for the first time. He was holding his mom's hand, she was so beautiful, but what I noticed most was his incredible orange hair and his big goofy grin, I knew right away he wouldn't last too long. He was just too skinny and weak. In fact, in our first match I made him cry with a single punch!" She sounded as incredulous as she felt just remembering it. But there was a grin on her face as she punched her palm. "I just reached out and poked him with a soft one and that was all she wrote! One quick shot and he was down for the count!" She sounded joyous as she said that, but then turned wistful. "You know, he cried everytime he lost. But then the most amazing thing would always happen. When his mom was picking him up, even if he was still sobbing as soon as he saw her that big smile would break out across his face again. He was such a baby, I mean, what kinda kid smiles after he just got in a fight? I didn't get it. Here was this total wimp, just a complete momma's boy, and yet he seemed to be so happy all the time." She palmed her forehead and looked at the ceiling with a smile. "Like life was just one big ride, no worries at all. He was a happy kid because of his mom, but then when we were nine...she died." She folded her hands on her lap as blissful childhood memories became sour. "He... didn't come to school that day of course, I was kinda worried since no one seemed to know where he was or if he was okay. It seemed...so unfair, no nine year old kid can handle that kind of grief alone. So I went looking for him everywhere I thought he might have gone. I finally found him by the river, right where his mother had died. Just wondering around in circles. He'd crouch down when he got tired and then he'd get up and keep walking. For days I watched him, he did that from morning till night like he was waiting for her to come back." She just stared at her hands in grief. "I hated seeing him that way, our happy Ichigo was gone. It was almost a closed casket affair, the mortician being an amateur at cosseting. And if that wasn't enough, he got a constant reminder of that day." Her eyes tracked one particular arm of hers. "A scar, like a gigantic snake bit into him and ripped his flesh off. Four dots on a shoulder, a mocking remainder of the one he just lost." She closed her eyes as her feelings got to her.

 _Yeah...I felt for him so much that I decided to..._

She slowly opened her eyes.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

In a different place, where Rukia was beating herself up over her crass and insensitive approach to such a delicate topic, Ichigo was reminiscing in another place.

All about his mother.

 _I loved my mother so much, and I always felt safe as long as she was with me._ Wonderful memories of walking home, hand in hand in the rain. His mind went forward, to when he saw her on the river. _Back then I didn't know I was seeing ghosts, I couldn't tell the difference between the living and the dead._ Even with hindsight, it wasn't really a wrong thing to do to try and stop a girl from falling into a river. But it sure made you reluctant to fight on behalf of strangers when doing so killed your own mother. _When I was little my dad told me what my name meant; he who protects. Up until then I just wanted to protect my mother and sisters. But that day I knew I was meant to protect that little girl too._ That's all I was trying to do. Instead my mom died trying to protect me from going into the river. I never saw it coming. But I knew when I looked at her, my mom was dead. _And that little girl was gone...I remember thinking; how was I ever going to explain what happened to Karin and Yuzu? I guess I didn't have to considering what happened to me afterwards, but that didn't help anyone. It didn't matter. We all loved our mom, she was the center of our universe, the heart of our family. And now that heart had been cut out...by me..._

He broke down into tears and collapsed on his hands and knees.

He wouldn't end up moving for minutes.

Until he was forced to. "I am really not in the mood for you right now..." He reached to pull something from his back and yell at its face. "Kon!"

"Rukia's in trouble!" The stuffed toy filled with a sentient soul began sobbing and crying.

"Hm?"

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Clad in a Soul Reapers get up and dashing back to his family... really wasn't how this day should have went at all.

Having just fought another Soul Reaper who wanted them both him and Rukia dead for committing some kinda crime by making him a Soul Reaper, he looked at her out the corner of his eyes.

 _I know you wanna ask me about my family, about my mother's death, don't you?_ He thought.

 _Would you answer me if I did? That's your business, all I know is that for you its a deep, jagged wound. And because of that I don't know what words to say, I don't know how to ask you about it without drudging up your pain all over again, without tearing your heart completely apart._ Those were her thoughts.

But she came right out and said it. What they were both thinking. "I'll wait for now, but when you want to talk, when you feel like you're ready to tell me about it... I'll be there to listen." She turned to him with a smile.

Another man clad in the robes of a Soul Reaper jumped down the staircase they just went down.

Ichigo jumped down towards his family, severing the tentacle that held his young sister aloft. Carrying her away to defend the both of them all he could do was stand there as the brown furred Hollow rose up with Karin held in it's thumbless hand. A deep echoing chuckle came from the monster...and then...

That little girl from from the river appeared again.

Standing right in front of it.

Staring him down.

"It's...not possible. It's her, it's the girl I saw that day...six years ago, the one down by the river..."

"Six years ago?" Rukia questioned him. "Ichigo do you mean..."

"That's right, she's the one. I tried to stop her from jumping into the river but when I finally came to she disappeared. And my mother...she was dead." Kurosaki grit his teeth.

"Six years ago, that's a long time. And there have been so many, you can't expect me to remember every one of the souls I've eaten now, can you?" The Hollow laughed, and the girl began to melt, be split in two and began hanging from a tether on the monster's head.

"It's Grand Fisher, that's the code name we've given him." Rukia spoke. "He keeps himself invisible and disguises the lure growing out of his head as a human. Anyone who sees the lure he knows has high Spirit Energy and immediately attacks and devours them. Thus gaining all of their power. For over fifty years this Hollow has evaded every Soul Reaper that's gone after him." Only the blowing wind could be heard as she spoke. "We know his favourite victims...are women."

"So does that mean..." He looked at her out the corner of his eye in disbelief. "My mother was actually killed by..." Her looking down was all the answer he needed. He immediately became angry, doing everything short of growling like a wild animal.

"Hahahaha, impressive. You have been lucky little boy, you saw my lure and yet you lived. Perhaps it was my intention to eat you on the spot for your Spirit Energy, but there's something about the _women..._ " The beast released a blissful growl. "They are just too sweet and lovely for me to pass up. Hahahaha hahahaha." It's chuckles made him attack.

But then someone spoke up, stopping him dead in his tracks.

"So that's it...Ichigo..." They all turned to behold a certain black haired girl. One with her sleeve rolled up, showing grisly scars on her arm for all who looked upon her to see.

Upon remembering that she wanted to fight ghosts to protect that little crybaby kid she knew, she remembered finding and almost losing her life to one.

A sleeve was rolled up to remind her of just that, ugly teeth marks revealed to the world at large for anyone in this raining graveyard.

"Wha? Tatsuki?!" Ichigo cried out in confusion and concern.

"So I was chasing ghosts all along...and the wrong ones at that...so he's the one that took your mother, huh Ichigo?" She looked at him sadly.

"What?! Where did get those scars Tatsuki?!" He yelled worriedly.

"Same way you did Ichigo. So...are you gonna step aside and let me help?" She simply stared at him, no emotions on her face.

He turned away. "No! I can't! It could even be anyone other than this, but I have to do this myself Tatsuki!" He yelled as he stared down his mother's killer.

"...Alright Ichigo." He turned back to her with a surprised look on his face at her whisper. She continued to speak softly and quietly. "I heard it all. I can't bring myself to protect you from this monster when your own mother did, I wouldn't be protecting you then, I'd only be hurting you. So...go knock his teeth out Ichigo, I'll be watching you grow into a man." She looked into her eyes as she finished speaking, raising a fist to encourage him. "We can talk later and I can get a resolution I'm satisfied with from you and Rukia after this. You go get justice for your family, Ichigo."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"So that's it huh? So you wiped Orihime's memories of that night too huh? You really shouldn't do that you know? Doesn't that seemed screwed up to you?" She looked down at Rukia as she spoke at some guys stupid T.V show.

"Well, it's not like her peace of mind before and after were disturbed were they? It didn't make her any happier or sad, it may sound a little twisted, but as a dead person I can hardly be expected to abide by your rules and morals now can I?"

"I'll handle that later, but seriously, for years I've spent my life chasing down things that don't even belong in this world trying to protect all the kids and old people in this city. I need answers." She replied with a frown on her face.

"You mean you want to know what happened that night six years ago right? Fine. Ichigo!" Rukia yelled. As he came over she began to explain. "Ichigo, your already somewhat aware of the subject but I haven't explained it fully. The place where your mother died was a legendary battleground, entire books in the academy have been rewritten just to include it. It was the first spot in the world where a higher form of Hollow stepped down into the Human World. What you have all been fighting are the base form of Hollows, but they can evolve." The news brought about shocked gazes. "Their powers and basic abilities are multiplied with each evolution, getting unimaginably stronger with each one. And these ones were at the final stage..." She looked down at the concrete, a sight that took some getting used to since the Seiretei was built differently. "Or at least...three of them became that way."

"What?! But it wasn't a massacre!" Ichigo cried out.

"No. But she made them wherever she went-"

"Hold on, you mean Hollows are women too? Not a single one has sounded or acted like it so far." Ichigo interrupted her with a dumb expression on his face.

"You know I feel like I should be upset at that Ichigo. Why don't you shut your yap and stop talking yeah?" Tatsuki rebuked him.

"Sheesh fine then."

"Cyan Sung-Sun. That's her name. The name of an infamous Hollow who raided entire jails and asylums for the homeless and crippled. Eating everyone and everything." The revelation had thrown their eyes wide open. "Soul Reapers, Humans, even her own kind were devoured. But beyond even that ravenous appetite there was her power. The power to drain a being of their Spiritual Power, or Reiryoku if you want to be fancy, and could do it to everyone in the town, even on the opposite side of it. But she still crushed humans to death anyway to get at the Whole inside them. She ate whoever she felt like, whenever she wanted. And she was so fast at it too...none of us could catch her, and none of us were really strong enough either. The punishment of the Captains was legendary, but the result still remained. She became a Menos, and fled to the land of the Hollows. And then she came back about a year or so after, back into the Human World. And even worse...she evolved once more. Becoming the dreaded Adjucha."

"A snake right? She really slimmed down from the typical size in comparison to the rest. Though her companions weren't so keen on a diet." Ichigo spoke up.

"Yeah..." Rukia gave him an odd look for that. "You actually remember a surprising amount. Do you remember what they look like?"

"A snake, a lion, and an elk of some kind. Oh and...-"

"Yes, her." Her interruption had him cast a confused look at her, but she continued speaking. "Hollows typically get smaller with the exception being their second stage, so...that last one is called a Vasto Lorde. The final and greatest form of a Hollow. Their very apex. Not a single one of either evolution had ever been spotted in the Human World before, the few that have evolved that far just stay in Hueco Mundo. So for it to happen we scrambled in a panic before sending three Captain class Soul Reapers with their Lieutenants, but it still wasn't enough. Her power had only become even more fearsome, she drained all of them so quickly that she evolved to become a Vasto Lorde. Eventually, the star of the show, Soifon had created a counter to her power on the spot, making it so that they couldn't be siphoned of their power. But still...that somehow wasn't enough. The other two evolved as well. We searched this town from top to bottom to find what could possibly trigger two evolutions, but couldn't find anything after constant years of searching from Squad Twelve. But my brother is a Captain, so I could get the more sensitive reports on the subject. One report contained a detail that only Soifon noticed at the time. A blood trail that was quickly being washed away. It's why there was no doubt in my mind that Sung-Sun had killed your Mother."

"Wait...a trail?!" Ichigo yelled.

"Yes, but you two don't need to worry about those four. It's our job to handle them after all, so Tatsuki, even though you may hate it you can keep the population of this town safe. Leave her to us, we _are_ capable of handling it after all. We just held back in previous interactions. What happened to you all was a freak accident. That won't be repeated, we've adapted and overcome it. So leave it to us." She gave Tatsuki a bright smile and closed her eyes. "Your strong enough that you accomplished what you set out to do. They can't assault any innocent children with you around!"

Tatsuki looked at the ground in response. Trying to puzzle out her feelings. "Well...I guess I could relegate it to a grudge, I guess..." _It did cost me a lot, I suppose I should be satisfied with what I got, right?_ The young girl questioned herself.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Needles flew from the old Hollow's forehead, flying straight at Tatsuki. She did not bother moving.

"...HUH?! WHAT!? What did you do girl?! I couldn't have missed! Not at this range! So what did you do!?" The old biddy of a Hollow screamed at her.

Arisawa just grinned in response. "Heh, if that's all you got then you better hurry up and get down here!"

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

So did time tick on.

Destiny marched down the path it made itself.

Tatsuki joined in the training of Orihime and Sado, being one of the first to use her power.

She also won first place in her tournament this time.

She also beat up Ishida afterwards for using Hollow bait.

And in just two months Rukia Kuchiki became more human through her bonds, cherishing all her interactions with her newfound friends.

But that isn't the thing that matters as of this moment.

"Heh." A small smirk graced his features. "Tell them it's time, Gin."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Again, I woke with grace. But I'll be honest, I'd prefer to get stabbed in the stomach rather than wake up early.

But there was one perk to doing so.

I got up, being careful not to wake the others and turned to face Harribel. I tucked her in and decided to leave after I spent some time simply brushing my hand through her hair.

Entering the living room a poxy little tune greeted me from the radio.

I decided I needed to perform a little ritual to calm myself. Something similar to brushing teeth or something a bit more complex.

Painting was out since it was all gone. I had spent the last of it recreating the scene of our evolution.

Not a sophisticated piece, but a symbolic one that I loved.

I could go window shopping to relax, but that urge I had to go to Karakura passed a while ago.

Digging through my own drawer I pulled out a scented candles, one of those things French painters typically held, and burnt it with have the lighter I pilfered from Apacci.

As the smell flew into me I sat back and relaxed before eventually picking it up and moving outside the mountain we lived in. Hopefully I could grab a drink as well, Hollow blood was bitter sweet, something I adore. Sadly most of the drinks were low quality, I just had to pass up on drinking people to death unless they had an acidic ability.

As I got closer to the door outside I could hear something knocking on it.

As I pushed the door open with the back of my hand I saw a ordinary Hollow. He didn't see too much since my hand was covering my mouth as usual. "Ah! Finally! I have been knocking for hours! It is-"

I interrupted my lesser. "And you will be waiting for a few hours more. Only I am awake."

I took in the fragrance of the candle as he stood there gobsmacked.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Author's Note...Begin!

So you're reading this to my shame. Well I completed FGO, thank you Mash. I beat Red Dead 2, beat Senran Kagura Burst and going to platinum it, and playing Resident Evil 2. I've also wrote a one shot that may evolve into a full on story. But it won't be a focus of mine. This gets updated quicker. And if it stays as just a one shot then I'll have washed my hands of it after a few more hours of work. Will be more lengthy than my Bloodborne fic though. And that's it. That's all I've been doing.

I should whip myself more, but I'm sitting here with a smile. Sorry?

By the way, I summoned Florence Nightingale. And I'm a F2P player of FGO. So I'll gloat about that without abandon.

 **StraxyX!** Three hours? Oof. No thank you bud, I do remember doing something similar though. I'm glad you like my work at least! Sorry that it wasn't on the front page as it were. By the way...how did you see how many were reading it? I can only see the number of people who followed and favoured it. But as to the pregnancy bit I could happily spend some time to write up a piece on Hentai Foundry.

 **Obstrocity!** I feel like I'm falsely advertising, but I honestly have no idea what to replace the summary with.

 **Gasterman!** Thank you, I do try my hardest. My Bloodborne fic has to be in second place. This of course taking the gold medal.

 **LuLuVIBrittania!** Yep. The plan was to copy paste it, but when I wrote it out it spelt PERFECT. Seeing that I became immensely troubled. Looking back I wonder if altering the song has become a rip-off rather than a reference.

 **006Sam!** Yeah. I did mess up with the Tres Bestia VL designs. They didn't really appear monstrous even in my own mind.

By the way, why the hell is Grand Fisher hanging out with a Vasto Lorde?! When he says he'll go a shadow appeared that was clearly human! And it had a hole in its chest! Tite?! What on earth was with that guy?

 **Hallow!** I hope I'm not straddling the line at all. I'm not good with tightrope stuff, too much and too little will ruin all the impact it has. Please keep me honest, all of you.

 **Antex!** Fantastic! I'm glad you enjoy it as much as you do. But no, they aren't Arrancar. About to be? Will be? Depends on how quickly I can advance a scene. To be frank having a 100k words before Canon began was definitely unplanned. But not painful nor burdensome, quite the opposite.


	19. Nineteenth Strummer

"Thanks for the ride!"

"Ichigo wait!" By the time Kisuke even spoke Ichigo had dropped down onto the earth.

That bit of earth where his mother died. But there was no sadness to be found on his face.

Just the smile of a young man who did a job well.

He looked into the night sky of Karakura Town and the moon, and that small but bright smile of his stayed on his face. Even when he glanced at that crater that grass refused to go in, his smile did not budge at all. Staying bright and radiant through the night as he walked home.

The confident and vigorous young man calmly walked through the streets of his hometown, all his friends having come home safe and whole, and Rukia was surrounded by family and friends in the Seiretei, as all people should be.

There was nowhere else that people should be.

And when the sun rose he and his friends rose bright and early to go to school.

But along the way to Karakura High, one black haired woman walked in to that crater where life refused to grow in.

"Sung-Sun huh?" Tatsuki Arisawa spoke aloud. "Y'know, I had no desire to chase you and give you a lesson in manners anymore after I found out what I was getting into. I was just going to let you go after it was all said and done but..." She held her hand out and made a fist towards the sun. "Seeing Ichigo and his incredible will...seeing that crybaby stand again and again with that irrational amount of confidence no matter how gruesome the hits were inspired me. At the very least, I have to give him some competition for spot of number one protector right? Heh, though you probably don't care." She fished out a photograph of her future opponent. The person she was a nemesis of.

 _"Hey_ _! Tatsuki!"_ _I turned around at the sound of Yoruichi's voice. And boy, wasn't it a shocker to find out that cat was actually a shape shifting woman all along._

 _"Yoruichi? What are you doing here?" I asked. There were a lot of better places for her to spend her time, one of which was at her side. So what on earth was she doing talking to me?_

 _"This_ _is Soifon! Soifon, meet Tatsuki Arisawa." She introduced them with a bright grin. "I actually heard rumours you two had a brush-up?"_

 _"Those_ _are just rumours Lady Yoruichi, so what are we doing here? I figured you'd rather show off that Ryoka boy?" Soifon asked. And boy was it a question alright. He was off facing Captain Kenpachi Zaraki when she was just moving towards Rukia by marching through a bunch of weaklings. And then he beat Byakuya..._ _In truth facing down Soifon really was just a rumor. Captain Hitsugaya was the one she eventually ended up facing against along with his Lieutenant. And that spiraled out into its own little adventure, but she did give the Second Squad a run for its money, a bit like Ichigo and Squad Eleven..._

" _Believe_ _it or not this young girl has been chasing a target of yours." Yoruichi spoke, that sly little smile still on her face._

 _"Really_ _? Who on earth could that be?" Both her and Soifon had a look of faint intrigue at that._

 _"Cyan_ _Sung-Sun." She ignored the stunned stupid look Soifon sent her and continued talking. "Go on kid, tell her the whole story. All I did was walk away with Masaki in my paws._ " _And_ _so it happened, she divulged an entire childhood right in front of her since Yoruichi was so insistent._

 _"Why_ _were you so insistent on hunting a Hollow down when you were so young? And why with Ichigo anyway? The Ryoka boy can clearly handle himself."_

 _She laughed herself silly at the dark haired woman. "Ahahaha! Are you kidding? If his mother hadn't died that night he'd be asking her to kiss his boo-boos away for weeks! Our little Ichigo was such a crybaby. Heh..." A fond smile was on her face._

" _Really_ _? Ichigo Kurosaki was actually like that in his childhood?" She asked in disbelief._

 _"Of_ _course! Kids grow up quickly in the Living World, c'mon you two, let's get some drinks! Oh, did I ever tell you about Soifon's childhood Tatsuki?" Yoruichi talked with vibrant hand gestures and a cheerful tone._

 _"Uhh...no. You never mentioned her actually."_

" _What_ _?! Please Lady Yoruichi! Reconsider I beg of you!"_

" _Ahaha_ _! Alright, then I'll tell you then."_ _It was a good night, truly, no other day she lived was as great as that one. The absolute victory they had all earned really was something._ _And the trading of life stories wasn't terrible either, pretty great actually._ _"And wouldn't you believe it she followed him around! It was the greatest thing ever!" Tatsuki and Yoruichi laughed themselves silly at the story she told about Kisuke. "You know Soifon, having an apprentice is pretty great! You should try it out sometime! Maybe with Tatsuki over here?"_

"Yes. That was what winning felt like. And I want to feel it again. So I'll be coming for you Sung-Sun, and I'll beat all the impossible odds thrown at me just like Ichigo did. I'll get up again and again and fight for what's right with my friends. Yeah, you can be my Byakuya Kuchiki."

A small smile was on her face as she stared into the sun before she eventually ran to school.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

We walked across the sands, our feet leaving tracks in the sands as we simply walked back to Las Noches.

Well, I say walked but we were just looking at the back of a Menos Grande as it walked, towing us by a string on its cloak. I looked around as we all sat on a cart made of green stone carved from a nearby mountain.

"So its time huh?" Most of us looked to Mila, who was on the right end as she spoke. "At least we did all we could before things went to shit."

"It's not over yet Mila. We still need to prepare, until Karakura arrives our schedule is clear for us to do nothing but that." Harribel rebutted.

I contributed with my own mindless chatter from the other end. "It's just a shame our supposed equals are all fools. It became much harder for us to kill him just for that, Granz especially." Didn't Granz become immune to people?

We really did need him, having some kind of counter to Aizen's Zanpakutō would be necessary if we wanted to get anything done.

I _could_ just hide away from Aizen and drain him slowly but surely and let others handle him. I do recall some people actually able to fight him on even ground, but they were incredibly weak, and whoever they were had been incapacitated with a single strike from him. And to think the most threatening thing about him was that he was a Kidō master.

So where on earth could I hide? What technique could I ever develop that could possibly counter him and his Kidō mastery? It felt like hiding from the Stealth Force was easier to do than hide from the Kidō Corps. Perhaps it was dramatic, but it felt like I was trying to hide from a magician.

"Indeed, but we can work it all out on site." Harribel calmly replied. She stood on the very top of the cart, making sure the lid wouldn't slide off. "We'll have to handle a few other things there. Since Cero Sincrético hasn't been mastered yet that will have to be one of them. Along with an assessment of Ayon and all its new capabilities. If any of us concoct a skill that let's us fight against Aizen then keep it close to your chest. And keep all signs of sedition to yourself, especially when your converting the others."

"So we're practicing that Cero out in the open? Sure, I doubt the rest of those idiots could learn anything from it." Emilou replied. Thank god the cart was wide at least. I didn't have to sit shoulder to shoulder and get covered in her fur because of it.

"Do we ever tip our hands towards each other Lady Harribel? Considering the situation I can't imagine so." I chimed in.

"Not until we know how he knows what he does about the Espada. Ulquiorra Cifer kept his Segunda Etapa a secret even from Aizen. But I'm willing to bet it was the first and last time he ever used it, hopefully it will be as instinctual for us as it was for him. Either way, we'll be keeping certain techniques to ourselves until we discover what Aizen's information network actually is."

"Well at least we have nothing to really worry about, nothing unexpected will pop up that will hamper us. We're all more than prepared and equipped to handle it all." I put both my hands on my stomach and began to rest as I finished speaking.

All we could hear was the cart moving along with the explosive sounds of the Menos and it's footsteps as it towed us.

But of course, all good things must end.

"I'm amazed you can worry about anything at all Sung-Sun." I opened my eyes and passively stared at Mila Rose. "Honestly, you've forgotten so much crap over the years that'd be helpful to know."

"Well, what's the point of remembering meaningless stuff? I don't waste my time on that." I simply replied.

"Yeah but I'd be helpful to know more, shame you don't have to brain cells to rub together." She frowned and looked off to the side. "I mean, who knows how much crap you forgot before Harribel told me what was going on?"

"Yeah...how _do_ you forget the future? You gotta be a pretty special person to do that." Appaci tagged on.

"Well..." I narrowed my eyes at the both of them. "That _is_ a good question isn't it? Perhaps I'm wrong in that I'm forgetting idiots and meaningless details?" I threw my head to the side, the beads on my Mask ringing out. "After all I remembered you two were a thing."

Mila gave a frustrated grunt before turning to me with an ugly look. "Look, insulting this stupid cow I'm stuck next too is fine and dandy, but why did you bring _me_ into the mix!?"

"Excuse me?! You think I'm gonna let these insults slide you fucking idiots?!" Apacci roared.

I couldn't hold back my snort no matter how hard I tried. "Coming from the woman whose power is being thickheaded I don't really think you're in a position to call us idiots." I replied.

"Yeah, I don't know why the village idiot thinks she has the right to speak at all!" Rose yelled with a superior look on her face.

"Tch, like you two are ones to talk! You two have your heads shoved so far up your own asses I'm amazed you two can think at all!"

I gave a snide glance at Mila as she erupted at our dimwitted companion. I resisted the urge to get into that mess and simply laid my head back instead, the wind lethargically brushing over my bare face.

I glanced at the cart, or rather, sarcophagus.

We transported materials and such through it, taking what we felt like keeping. It was extremely wide and long, having to hold all our crap and all that and having separate compartments so that we didn't bicker over obscure objects we had and end up killing each other.

I'd win that fight of course.

"I can't believe you would call _us_ stupid!"

"Oh yeah?! Well what're you gonna do about it punk?!"

I sighed and reluctantly began to speak. "For you of all people to call someone else a punk is unthinkable Emilou." The statement was so unbelievable that saying it out loud made me facepalm. "Can we just quit this childish bickering? It's grating on my ears."

"Up yours!" I sighed at her.

"I see no one taught you any manners hm? Perhaps I should fix that little problem?" I reluctantly turned to face Emilou.

"Puh-lease, like you could do anything. I bet your just-"

"This is going to hurt me a lot more than it hurts you." I warned her, and as I jammed my sai up her nose I felt only shame and disgust. And as I twirled it around in there I eventually pulled it back out and held it as far away from me as possible. "Ugh, look what you made me do. Was talking big worth it now?"

I couldn't hear a reply over her screaming of course, so I just held my sai out and waited for the Gillian and its large cloak to drift over this way so I could clean my weapon.

I could hear Mila chuff and then settle back down in her seat as things got less rowdy.

"Gah! What the hell was that for you bitch!?"

I sighed. "Because you kept shouting. Who on earth would want a headache? Besides, you were getting carried away when you were mouthing off, I figure I was obliged to shut you up at that point."

"You can be such a bitch you know? You should at least look the part of a damn crotchety old fortune-teller." She moaned in pain.

"To be fair she's not wrong, you missed a real opportunity to insult someone by telling them they'll never get laid. Why didn't you nab a deck of tarot cards or some crappy little crystal ball back in the Human World? Didn't feel like hamming it up?" Mila questioned.

"Oh goodness no, it'd be a nightmare. But I suppose it would have been a little funny." I said back to her.

"Really?" Mila asked. "Nightmare is a bit of an odd term. Do the rest of these idiots die like dogs? I could see them getting uppity then."

"Hm, just about. I'm just concerned that I'd always draw Death and Fool."

"Huh? Where the hell does Fool come in?" Apacci asked.

"Well, the Fool is a start, a beginning. And I'm pretty sure tarots haven't been touched by a dead person before." The giant black cloak eventually drifted my way just enough for me to grab it and wipe my weapon on it. "Besides, if I really had to tell the future after all this I think I'd be better off killing myself."

"Yeah, can't argue with that." I gave Emilou a flat look for her little comment before I turned back to look past the Menos.

I glimpsed the smallest sliver of silver before the big lug tugging us obscured that temporary flash of colour.

So close to perfection.

So close to realizing her dreams for all the worlds and its filthy inferior habitants.

"Well if we're done with the sassy comments then we'll just wait and see whatever awaits us. Even if something unexpected pops up it will only be a trivial matter." I concluded.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Hey! Wake up!"

I groaned as Emilou shouted right next to me. "Hmgn...if you've woken me up for something useless Apacci I swear I'm going to kill you. I'm not a morning person, in fact I'd go so far as to say I hate them." I struggled not to yawn as I spoke.

I found myself coping with being woken up with the radio and its song. And so I ended up sitting back and listening to: This Must Be The Place by Talking Heads

The catty one spoke up next. "Look Sung-Sun, there's been a big change around here."

I heaved a sigh and tiredly looked up. "Even you're nattering at me about this Mila, what on earth could be so important?" I tiredly looked forwards, staring at Las Noches specifically.

"It's been renovated Sung-Sun. And not by an insignificant amount either."

I tried to look for whatever My Lady had just said and ended up finding it after a few seconds. "Oh, a roof. It looks pretty good too."

"You godamn idiot! There's more! There are actual walls! And they're so huge and thick we couldn't even destroy them if we had wanted too! How the hell did any of this happen so godamn quickly!?" Apacci shouted out.

"Yes, far too many other things for me to be bothered with considering too. Could you not shout right next to my ear? And how long is this going to take anyway?" I asked.

"A couple more days if we keep taking it slow and don't lug this ourselves." Rose stated.

"Well then why did you wake me? I can't paint or draw with this lumbering fool around. He'd shake things too much." Perhaps I should address the hodgepodge of Hollows as an it instead?

"How many Arrancar do you think reside within Sung-Sun?"

I gave some serious consideration to Her Majesty's question before ultimately finding the answer to be beyond me. "Far too many? Aizen probably just wanted to use the pre-existing columns to support the dome. It's possible he may have all those other structures outside Las Noches manned considering the best of us are consolidated in the palace proper. But what purpose do they serve? Guard towers are a little useless aren't they?"

"They better not ask for a damn passport." Emilou grumbled.

"Hmph, If that's true then I'm amazed we didn't backstab him immediately. I can't believe that anyone, much less the Espada could stand for that." I nodded in agreement with Mila's words.

"You took the words right out of my mouth. Might makes right, if anyone pulls us over then I'm going to kill them." Emilou cracked her knuckles as she spoke.

"I can agree with that." I paused for a moment before speaking again. "How about one of you wake me when we're getting close to one of those eyesores? I'll handle them."

Vicious chuckles arose from my two companions at my suggestion. "So who does the power go to? I forgot which one of us has less Reiryoku." Mila asked.

I briefly used my power. "You, actually. The lion's share is yours Rose."

I got a brief snort from Mila and a chuckle from Emilou for that comment.

I sat back and gave a small smile and listened to the radio. It really was a pleasant song.

It was silent after that little comment of mine, in the peace and quiet I looked above us at the moon, the only thing to give this world light.

I couldn't help but think of how long it took to get us here, and how long this thing would last with Aizen. Would it take a long time? I hoped so. Although I had will and conviction to die for her I wished that I'd get to live a little longer to enjoy myself. I wasn't the strongest fighter around after all, and believe it or not that had a serious impact on my life expectancy.

Every single opponent I fought did not actually feel my murderous intent, they just felt my complete and utter disdain and apathy for them. Like ants having found their way into your home. The elitist attitude I brought to bear against my opponents was all I needed, and it would not be tested either. Only Aizen could defeat me, and I would not be fighting him alone either.

But still, I would like to draw this all out, to dull my sense of time and spend it with my companions if I could.

Just in case I wouldn't be making it through the final battle.

"Sung-Sun." I turned to Lady Harribel as she broke the silence and addressed me. "I want you to actively avoid draining Aizen and his cohorts." She continued to stare at the modified Las Noches despite the confusion we were all feeling. "I don't believe we can ever get away with that, but taking his subordinates power is something I feel confident that he'll let slip. He may suspect, but that's all he'll have, and I don't think we can be punished for that. If you find the perfect balance when it comes to the others however then we can attribute it to training, rather than simple leeching."

"Yes Ma'am." I bowed to her as much as I could in my position.

"So we're gonna weaken the Espada? Alright, I don't figure that the Captains would be a problem even if the Espada were at half strength." Emilou boasted.

"Hmph, don't get cocky just because you're going to become an Arrancar, there are many types of Zanpakutō that can nullify the advantage." Mila chided her.

"Oh, don't be such a sourpuss! Besides, shouldn't you be calling me an Espada? I mean, it's the same thing as an Arrancar but I'm definitely better than the rank and file trash." Emilou held her head up high and puffed her chest out in return.

"Really? I don't think I've seen you do anything other than handle actual trash."

"Hey! Up yours Rose! I've kicked asses! And I can kick your ass too!"

"Really? Sounds like you're getting too big for your britches, and I recall you wanted to be painted kicking some guys balls more than his ass."

"It's the same thing! Besides, it wouldn't have the same effect otherwise."

Rose and her deep, gruff chuckle lulled me to a peaceful sleep. "Are you sour you're not going to get your painting till we get there? Must suck since I have mine." Franceska's bragging put a gentle smile on my face.

I forgot all about that. It would be pretty risky to make it Aizen, so when she bugged me I told her that the man on the painting would be the one I hate the most out of the lot. It'd be funny if I made it Tōsen.

Wait. Who was that?

Ah, whatever, he sounds like a weak side character anyway.

"Eh, I'm sure it'll be fine. I'm gonna hate whatever guy is on the painting anyway. At least mine is gonna be therapeutic!"

"Hmph, I'm surprised you even know what that means."

"Oh, shaddup! You're just jealous of my painting!"

"Not really, the only painting of you is about as crude as you are."

I found myself in a unique situation. I wished to stay up and listen to my two friends talk, but I really should get to sleep. It was an easy choice to willingly stay up and listen to them, but having to make that choice just struck me as incredibly enjoyable.

How futile, making a mountain out of a molehill. But this rare mixture of emotions and states was truly pleasurable.

"Well maybe you oughta keep that little painting of yours out of my hands or I'll make it as crude as mine would be."

It seems I'd be staying up for a while since the commentary promised to amuse even further.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"So I hear there are some promising Espada candidates coming here."

He scoffed and squinted at this long pink haired nerd who kept pestering him. "Are you still trying to suck up to me?" He reached down with one long, lanky arm and collected sand in his hand and let it fall out. "Whoever gets in my way dies, or they die because I feel like killing them. I'll handle them in time, Szayelaporro Granz." Nnoitra Gilga glared at the weaker Arrancar. "Don't think something stupid like I'm nice or some other stupid shit like that. I'm not killing weaklings so that you can be an Espada again."

Szayelaporro just calmly smiled. "Oh, I'm just interested in gossip that's all. After all...I hear even Baraggan is going to become an Arrancar alongside them."

"Hm?..." He glared at the sands beneath his feet. "Well that'll be an obstacle, but I'm gonna die as the strongest, and no one's gonna stop me. Not even the former God-King of Hueco Mundo. Why now anyway?"

"Oh? Interested now are you?" He lifted his glasses and a smug tone seeped into his voice, something that Nnoitra didn't appreciate since he moved his weapon to threaten the scientist. "I hear that they're doing this as a batch. The last set to ever be turned by the Hōgyoku. I hear Gin is going to look for another Vasto Lorde too, as a matter of fact...one might even say you'll be joining me soon." That smug tone oozed back into Granz as he said that.

"Tch. Don't get cocky, I'm not nearly as weak as you." Granz itched to mention a certain Espada but he kept quiet so as to not die to this hothead. "I'll do more than keep my place, I'll climb the ranks. You just sit back and follow in my shadow." The Espada muttered.

Granz grit his teeth. "If that's the way you want it. It sounds like you won't be needing my help again in the future." The scientist cast him a look of disgust and scorn before walking away. _How_ _tempting it was to tell that loathsome fool that they were women. But no, it'll be much better to see that dumb look on his face when we're all gathered to coronate them._

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"It's incredible that he's managed to command respect even now." We three sat in a corner of the room and whispered our intrigue to one another.

"You took the words right out of my mouth Emilou." I muttered. "It certainly says something about Barragan's rule doesn't it?"

"Yeah, even know they protect him. And not because they care to either." Mila said. "Still, there's a lesson to be learnt there. Not that I want to admit that."

We sat back and stared at the Vasto Lorde that intrigued us. Barragan Ruisenbarn.

"It is impressive. Either that speaks volumes of his abilities or his rule." I continued to whisper to my companions. "Even now he doesn't break a sweat, it's become much easier to see why he became a king. Looking at him now...it's clear he's never felt an ounce of fear or anxiety. I guess that should have been obvious when he was apathetic to us when he first met us."

"I never expected to see him stand you know? Seemed beneath him." Emilou added.

"That's because there's only one throne here, and we all know who sits on that." We all looked at Aizen and the alien behind him.

"Seriously, what's with that pale faced freak? That thing seriously one of us? That's the kinda crap you see in horror flicks." I simply nodded at Emilou's words and reluctantly examined it.

It had no mouth, slim and pale with a large set of wings and with power like ours. And a set of bright green eyes to boot.

"Well, I take it I don't have to tell you he's someone special do I? At any rate, I'm glad he's treating us with silk gloves. I'd be quiet disappointed if he turned the Vasto Lorde into trash. Save the best for last after all." I told my comrades.

"Hmph, silk gloves huh? I don't know about that one." Mila's eye rapidly twitched as she spoke. "What the hell was with those tapes then? Those uppity bastards took every godamn measurement!" She sighed and calmed down. "So who's going first anyway? It's clearly not Baraggan, he's going to make sure everyone in the room knows he's in no hurry and isn't afraid of us."

"Yeah, those bastards were awfully touchy feely weren't they? I'm tempted to go back and kill 'em, why the hell did they take all of our measures anyway? And how the hell did they get Baraggan's anyway?"

"I guess they did it from a distance, now shut up. You're disturbing the peace with that big mouth of yours."

"Up yours! It was your fat gob that distracted everyone Rose!" Everyone turned to us as the peace and quiet was broken only to see Emilou marching right towards Aizen with her middle finger held high towards us. "I ain't a pussy like you are! Hey you heard that?! You turn me into an Arrancar first yeah!?" She pointed her finger right at Aizen.

The audacity was such that I stood there speechless and palmed my face as hard as I could as Mila started roaring in anger. "What?! Who the hell do you think you're calling a pussy?! I'm going to break that little neck of yours when I get over there you brainless little slut!"

"Heh, alright then." The atmosphere was broken as Aizen finally addressed our idiot friend's nonsense. "I hadn't expected someone to be so eager, but I'm glad. I'm afraid you'll be a bit uncomfortable, but I'll need to cover you with bandages from top to bottom, even across your eyes, and then put you in a transparent container." She seemed to realise just what she had done and hesitated as he stood there and smiled at her.

"Oh? It sounds like you can only talk a big game Emilou, I thought you were better than that." My voice rang out across the room, normally I wouldn't do this but if she wanted to show some cheek...

"Hmph, don't be too surprised Sung-Sun, this is Apacci we're talking about."

"I suppose you're right Mila." I sighed aloud. "I had no idea I was picking up the slack for a weakling."

"Quiet you dunces! Fine! I guess I'll do it." She grumbled.

"Ha, what impudence. It seems you're at a complete loss yourself at your subordinates behaviour Harribel. If I was you I would have killed her, or at the very least beat the insolence out of her with my own hands." The God-King of Hueco Mundo spoke, his deep echoing voice attracting all our attention.

"Quiet Baraggan. Mine aren't slaves like your own." Harribel quickly retorted.

"If we could get the containers in?" Kaname Tōsen spoke, as he finished speaking the large doors on the other end of the room opened to show Arrancar bringing in transparent cubes of varying sizes who placed them down on the floor.

They were like glass octahedrons, or upside down pyramids made of glass, and apart from it having been cut down so that there was no tip there was also a small cut on the top. The only thing I could think of was a small armrest.

I was just going to call it a box and compliment the floor, which was a nice shade of blue and had a grid pattern.

The Arrancars approached her with bandages and proceeded to wrap every inch of her in bandages, they slid the glass lid off and lowered her into it, and as they put it back on her arms suddenly flew up and her wrists touched the lid.

Kidō, and as I stared I realized what the cut out on the container was.

Aizen calmly placed the Hōgyoku on its resting place. That cut out was made just to insure the Hōgyoku was as close as possible to the back of her skull.

Aizen lazily placed his fingertips on the Hōgyoku and exerted his Spiritual Pressure. As light flooded my vision I lifted the sleeve covering my mouth to cover my entire face, once it died down I lowered it to see what happened to Apacci.

My eyes widened as I saw her fully.

Why?

Because she was naked.

"Would you tell us your name...new comrade?" Aizen spoke like nothing was wrong with the world as Emilou's face reddened as she covered herself with her hands.

Her reaction was as violent as everyone expected it to be.

It was so violent that none else became an Arrancar for a straight hour afterwards.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

I stood with Lady Harribel and Emilou as Franceska approached the glass box and was dressed in bandages and lowered inside. We all stood in one corner and had finally gotten some clothes for her.

I'm amazed they had such amazing tailors that they could summon up a uniform so quickly.

Again he placed the Hōgyoku upon its resting place and channeled his energy into it. As the box shattered yet again and flesh was shown I couldn't help but feel some awe.

Franceska and her bronze skin stood out along with the large sword buried in the floor. Not only was she an impressive woman, _only if she shuts her mouth,_ but she was also a daunting opponent.

But I turned myself willfully blind, ignoring the strength of others and marching forward. I stood in front of Mila and blocked the sight of others as I waited for my container to be brought forth.

She stubbornly didn't thank me, which put a smile on my face. Her stubborn pride was amusing.

The box and a set of clothes was brought forth for me and her. She snatched it out of her hands and got dressed as the woman brought forth bandages. Even the earring was covered.

As I was lowered into the box I felt my wrists fly up and touch the glass ceiling.

I could feel the moment the Hōgyoku was activated even as I did my best to ignore my senses.

How could I not? Power was everywhere.

The glass box cracked and shattered the following second. As it did so I stood up, my body bared for the world to see and immediately the sword of drawn steel was heard.

Aizen did not move as my Zanpakutō was drawn from its sheath.

"And what is your name?" He asked.

As I continued to draw my blade as the dust created from the box's destruction swirled around me I lowered the sheath to cover a part of me. "I am Cyan Sung-Sun." I answered, and as I did so I covered my chest with the Zanpakutō.

I suppose I should be impressed he didn't step back despite all my threatening actions just then.

As the dust cleared my modesty made it intact as all they could see were my sheath and blade protecting me from complete exposure to this whole room full of strangers.

I was dressed in time, and we stayed to see the others also become Arrancar.

I was not alone when I moved to cover Her Majesty's wonderful appearance from prying eyes.

And my breath was taken away at seeing that.

So much beauty on display that I could not help but stand stock still.

We looked into one another's eyes as one of the other handmaidens snatched clothes from someone and ran over here.

Of course I stood next to her after that as we watched every other boring and ugly fool become an Arrancar.

I adored my little outfit too. All that was left to complete it was a loop to carry my new weapon.

And that was a far harder task than anticipated.

As we gathered around to listen to Aizen speak to us in some throne room I decided to stop admiring my Zanpakutō and put it back in its sheath.

It was a process that took seconds.

But finally I had sheathed my weapon, my weapon taller than even myself, my beloved nagamaki.

Perhaps I drew the process out somewhat, but its sounds were some of the sweetest things I've ever heard, I could not refrain from resting my head upon its handle, the handle that was ever so slightly longer than the blade. I loved even that.

Eventually Aizen spoke to us all.

"You know, looking at all of you now I can't help but regret the way I set up the Espada. Replacing numbers became a greater chore than I imagined, but that's all right. I can sense your Spirit Energy without any margin of error, so I know where all of you are ranked. All that's left is to get the tattoo, and maybe some Fraccion."

"Fraccion?" Mila asked.

"Subordinates, so in other words, yourselves." Baraggan spoke. "Mine are those who most diligently served me."

"So what do they do? Mop the floors or something?" Emilou asked. "I guess I'm okay with one or two then."

"They can do whatever you want." Aizen said as he looked at us from his throne. "Menial chores or fights, they are yours to do with as you please."

"Hm, it really is no different from our time under Lady Harribel." I agreed. I rested with a sleeve covering my mouth and my Zanpakutō resting in the crook of my shoulder.

"As evidenced by the fact you still address her as a superior, which I suppose you're not wrong to do given the gap in power levels between you." Baraggan affirmed. "It really would be no different whether you are Espada or Fraccion, you still recognise your place."

Emilou grit her teeth at that. It was the truth, but I understood her anger. Anyone but Baraggan could say that and it'd be fine.

"You know, I had intended to base the Espada off of the Seven Sins. If you know Granz and Yammy in any way then you know I made a pretty good go of it too. As it is I have to get at least one biblical reference in there. And considering this recent talk I have an idea, how about you become Harribels Fraccion? Perhaps I'll divide the number of the beast, or I could create the four horsemen and have you all share the rank with Ulquiorra." Aizen sat there and calmly smiled as he pitched his ideas towards us. "I don't mind either. The Espada turned out to be more of a pain to cycle out than I imagined them to be, so either solution you choose will be convenient for me."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Time to read reviews! At the end of this anyway.

7667 words or so! And still not as long as my one-shot that I still haven't published yet.

Yes, that bit with Gilga and Granz _might_ have spiraled out into the Tres Bestia getting assaulted on the way to Las Noches by Nnoitra if things went a certain way.

I'm forced to rely on a Reddit post for the Espada timeline btw. That's probably why Nel isn't here.

So yeah, Aizen's last words, vote on that. I don't know which tattoo to give them so I'll just leave the voting to you in the review section. Hell, vote on Nel actually being around as an adult if you want. It'd be simple to write her in, just keep in mind her lifespan is expected to be a chapter or two.

This chapter shouldn't have taken quite as long as it did either, but I'm superbly anal about the small details.

But I've screwed up guys. I should have had the Tres Bestia be lead to Las Noches sooner and devour failed Arrancar till they became Vasto Lordes or something. I'm certain that all Hollows except Wonderweiss were turned into Arrancar the natural way. Nnoitra said it had been years, so I determined that both him and Nelliel were Arrancar made the natural way, Granz included.

Things have gone mildly bad man. I should have just had them undergo the Hōgyoku twice or something.

There are more worries I have about that, I think, but I'm sure I'm making a mountain out of a molehill, and if I'm not then hopefully I'm competent enough to deal with it all.

So, reviews!

 **Hallow!** No problem! I'm certain I've replied to all reviewers so far. Glad you think I'm doing okay, but I wonder what you'll think about my little Espada arc since I'm relying on Reddit. But yeah, having Sung-Sun save him is... possible? Now I'm seriously considering it because of all the Captains around him, but perhaps he'd find the time frame to be too small. I think Kukaku will have to be endgame, since Orihime doesn't know what exactly her powers are. And I'm afraid of writing scenes, according to the Reddit post Starrk is the last to join, having just stumbled upon a massive source of Spirit Energy. And I suppose it makes some sense since he's stronger than Ulquiorra, he's unimaginably old and may have just sensed them from afar.

By the way...am I teasing Tatsuki's power or do you all know it? I feel like I'm a little cold to you in this response by the way, I don't quite want to but I feel like I'm disregarding all your suggestions. What you suggested sounds like an interesting scene I want to write.

 **Roberto Pelotudo!** It's a shame you feel so disappointed, but I'm not! You actually helped me make my summary a _little_ less crappy.

 **Antex!** I've been there, I've forgotten beloved fics I've read. But considering I'm still writing perhaps I'm at fault eh? Speaking of, I don't think I'll like what happens next, but could you point out the part that had you confused if you remember it? I probably worded it like an idiot.

 **Ruimask!** Ho ho! I had no idea I was that good? Three times? I imagine the beginning must be unbearable. I thank you for being such a fan too! Is it possible for me to ask you to jot down any spelling mistakes you see? You can leave a review about them or PM me, whichever you feel like. I'm quite glad the interactions are so amusing, I'll admit, I feel like I'm becoming out of touch with them the more I write them. Hopefully that's just normality setting in. I'm glad you see it from my perspective too! He was just a human soul in a Hollow body, it makes sense that he'd rot to death until he fell in her stomach, at least that's how I feel anyway. But I never intended to nerf her, not with that power of hers. And I considered taking a break once this chapter is released to do just that, but I have no real ideas for Sung-Sun and Rose, don't be afraid to suggest some. And oddly enough I'm leaning yes on the Quincy Question, maybe I'll do it. Maybe. I never got that vibe from Tatsuki by the way, knew she was a side character from the moment I saw her, but I loved them all. And Chad lured me in with his introduction, the steel beam, the motorbike, the stoicism. Oh yeah, gonna really fuck up Orihime, had an idea brewing around and I'm definitely putting it into action. I think you've got a chance of figuring it out along with others too, which makes me especially excited for some reason.

My favourite Bleach fanfics are:

What If 7 by StringDMan (Ficlet)

Once More by Gone Wonderlust (Unfinished)

To Prey Upon The Dead by Gorgantuan (Unfinished, crossover with Aliens vs. Predator.)

Yuzu's Journey by whackybiscuit.

Walk Two Lifetimes by Coolio101

The Death And Life Of Erza Scarlet by Goshinzilla. (Crossover with Fairy Tail.)

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"I'll tell you what Ichigo, I'll give you an advantage."

I turned to the drawling of some lowborn idiot and instantly noticed something was off. Las Noches was full of white walls and stone.

So what the hell was this dark rocky mess?

"I'll go ahead and let you have the first strike, you can go ahead and cut me anywhere you want." The crazed mutt continued talking.

"Excuse me, but I don't know who you are?" I was about to let him reply, but then I decided otherwise. "But I'll give you what you want." My arm, previously resting on the handle of my nagamaki on my hip began to draw it out. Slowly, gently, over the course of seconds so as to make this fools error known.

I looked away from that scared chest of his to look him in the face and felt my own eyes widen slightly in response.

This guy was..."Wow Kenny! You're the most generous Captain ever!"

He turned to look at the pink haired little child that had just spoken. "I know! Aren't I just a walking, bleeding heart of generosity?"

That eyepatch, the bells on the ends of each spiked bit of hair.

That Captain's haori, yes, even that Zanpakutō of his was too unique.

Kenpachi Zaraki.

This scene, this time, how the hell did I get here?

"Well? How's my hair? You've been staring at it for a long time but I'm not going to style it for you until I get a good fight."

"Really? Well alright then." So I need to kill this guy and march on to save Rukia, right? I don't know how I got here but I'm definitely going to bust out Rukia and get that Hōgyoku. "For Lady Harribel!"

"Huh?" The sound of flesh being pierced echoed through our ears. "Ah, well that's troublesome. You stabbed me sideways. There was a reason I left my chest open you know? I was hoping you wouldn't do this, gets a little tricky to dislodge you know what I mean? Since you did fight Ikakku and all I'm going to assume so." I was admittedly too perturbed to withdraw my blades until he stopped speaking. "Still, that was a pretty great strike. You're even better than I thought you were."

I walked backwards, blood seeping from my blade and falling to the ground beneath. "Excuse me, but I did skewer both your kidneys right?" I asked him.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I suppose you did. Well you don't waste an opportunity do you? Stabbing through both my sides, but you really should have gone for the lungs." He stopped holding his chest out and reached down to draw out his Zanpakutō. "Well I guess I'll just have to pay you back."


	20. Frustrated Love

**Emilou Apacci's theme is Foreigner - Headknocker.**

 **Saw Tite Kubo dishing out themes to certain character and saw he left our lot out. I'll think of something for the rest eventually.**

 **There are two romance scenes that are basically limes, sexually suggestive content, for the first half of it with one serious scene lodged between them.**

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda.**

"My, the bed is rather large isn't it?...Lady Harribel?" I whispered aloud.

"Yes, its larger than some rooms."

I got one step closer to her. "Well...we finally have a room to ourselves, don't we?" She was quite, so I fell on her back, pressing myself against her as I rested my arms on her bare stomach, my hand slowly crossing her mocha skin and stopping right below her breast. "Lady Harribel... I've been dying so long for this moment, and after the magnificent reveal of your body...It's become a bit hard to help myself." I whispered.

"Cyan..."

I buried my face into her back. "Please...I've killed for this, I've hungered for it more than I have anything else in my life." My tone became heated and compassionate. "I want this more than I want to keep living!" As I blurted out the truth I continued on in a more quiet tone. "I idolise you, you know that? _Please..._ grant me this honour, even if it's only once." I moved forward until we were almost face to face and knelt down, placing my hand upon her bared thigh as I gazed up at her. "Forgive me if I'm not begging hard enough, but your body leaves me too addled to think of words." I laid my head on her thigh. "I...want to love you, they were right back then, when we were heading to meet Baraggan. You drive me wild with love Master. You've always cared for me, let me be the one to do that now..." Inch by inch I pulled her pants down.

I wet my lips when I saw her naked sex.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

I was born so suddenly, blessed and cursed with confusing images and sounds.

But I felt alone above all, I felt I had become seperate from something, felt as if I would never get it back.

I listened to the mess that was my world and felt context slowly flowing into me. And through that context I understood who I was.

I was Karen Strassman. Technically. I had her voice.

It was nice to emulate another was it not? It was desirable from what the context told me. And my voice was desired.

I used to be Cyan Sung-Sun as well. But now I was seperate from her, a part of the whole forced out for some reason, for some purpose.

But then more context came to me, I had evolved, I had become the enemy in a manner of speaking. I was now the incarnation of my antithesis, a Shinigami. But even now I knew Aizen Sōsuke was the enemy despite having just been born, a new existence that hadn't even gained an identity yet. I had become an Arrancar.

So I was a Zanpakutō? Hm.

So what was my name?

Was I Narcissus? I didn't stand on anything. I simply lay down and moved on nothing, going wherever I pleased with an incomplete and immaterial body. So was I drowning?

I strove for beauty did I not?

Then do I surround myself with beautiful things?

Yes. Those would be nice to look at, and just as nice to obsess over, their every little flaw and merit right?

But no, that was not my name. But that was fine for now, that could come later.

And so I willed reality to expand, I smelt the scented candles burn from somewhere as I desired it too. I heard the sounds I wanted to, and spent time making a world for me now I was all alone.

Another nice place to belong, now I no longer had one. And I would spend a long time making it.

And so I ended up standing alone in my pristine castle after a short time.

I stood in the throne room specifically, blankly staring at the door and observing my world as the wind threw my hair and clothes this way and that.

I gave myself long platinum blonde hair that reached my posterior and gave myself a long dress. My sleeves were almost long enough to touch the floor and were just as wide, my toes were covered by the sheer length of my dress too. Simple colours for now, predominantly black with shades of deep blue and dark red.

White rocks, as pure as the White Cliffs of Dover made up the only buildings in this world, but then black velvet came to be, a black carpet and draperies for this throne room and the rooms beyond. Crushed chalk was placed upon the white tiles, never to touch the fabrics of this castle unless I wanted it. And next came the throne, large and imperial it reached the very roof of the room. But no black colours were present on it.

I placed upon it a gargantuan fraying bit of fabric that told of tales that I adored, especially ones most relevant to the creation of this world.

And so, placed upon this fraying fabric were five heroes who held weapons with a crystal acting as the blade, their colours following each hero. As a matter of fact, I recreated one of them, a spear.

Long ago I had destroyed the wall on my right when I first built this place, letting the bricks fall onto the plant life far below and stay there. Fresh air kissed my body as a large semi-circular balcony replaced that entire wall. As I moved towards the balcony I glanced at the orange sunset tinted world, all its mountains and hills, its rivers and plains. I leaned forward and placed my arms on the flat stone railing I had just made, taking it all in.

Good. Decent. I found myself satisfied after staring at this scene for hours, snow peaked mountains and the sky above bringing me a measure of joy.

I desired to sate my curiosity and walked out of the only entrance to the throne room.

I walked across the stone bridge with no hand rails to enter the other beautiful building I saw, the wind powerfully tugging my clothing this way and that as I walked to the middle of the bridge, as I did so I turned around and took in the world around me. Looking down I saw cobbled streets and pure white houses, they were built in such a way as to meld with parts of the castle structures. Trees and marbled benches dotted the innards of the castle, as if there were many half-hearted attempts to build a park, yet even then it looked brilliant. A fool made a masterpiece.

Yes, people were fools when starting with anything, they were as clumsy as newborn babes. But an excellent product came from this one. Yes...that represented me splendidly, ivory towers, alone and pristine. It's not that I found anyone unworthy despite the walls made of pristine white rocks, it's just that I had an absolute aversion to disgusting, ugly things, I had no desire to be made a fool of, or to even see foolishness, that is why nothing ugly existed in my world. Perhaps one day, someone worthy of me will also dwell here.

After thinking of my former self I examined the castle walls, to which some houses were melded to as well and examined both of the doors to my left and right, I examined the engravings on the pure white stone doors. They were unique, I didn't want any other door to be decorated the same as another. Not even a door in my world that I might never see.

As I continued on my original route I spared a thought for arched bridges. Just not this one, another one could get that treatment.

I pushed the doors open, getting a glimpse of my hands, made small and dainty by design. I walked down black velvet through this barren room that was empty of all except pillars and tall glass panes like that of a church. None were stained though, perhaps stained glass came for a truly important room?

I advanced onwards, the only sound to be heard was the wind rustling the grass and the wind chimes, moving branches also adding to the sound of me getting to the bottom of my world. My feet made no sound as they were bare and muffled by the black carpets I walked on. Eventually I walked to the bottom and entered the streets. And as I reached the right part of the city I beheld what intrigued me.

Foreign.

That was the sensation I had when I observed the building. This was a church wasn't it?

I turned away for a moment to its surroundings and felt the sensation disappear. I looked at the fountain and saw that at the bottom of the fountain a multitude of precious gems dwelled at the bottom. I looked around and took in the grass around the fountain, red tips. Did red tipped grass exist? And the trees, did their leafs also have gems inside them too? Their veins suggested as much, but regardless I moved on, heading towards the church proper.

As I opened the double doors a massive difference was seen already.

The pews were replaced with graves of many colours and shapes, there were thousands, neat and organized. I could faintly see the back of the church and decided to began the long, long process of getting back there.

I inspected every row of graves on the way, taking the time to dedicate each to memory.

Ages and dates, sexes and lovers, relationships and names, their ambitions and a picture of them. Their headstones were humbly decorated for this world, which meant a gemstone was embedded in each one, and that there was not a speck of dirt on them. They also all had one other thing in common.

A tagline.

 _Sacrificed in my name_

There were stained glass windows in here, and they told a journey. Trying to piece them together made me feel lonely however, so I stopped trying to understand them and just admired them instead.

As I reached the end of the church that constant feeling of intrusion rose to its climax, I remain unbothered and looked down at the ornamental pedestal before me, and I began to understand.

This pedestal was a throat. My throat.

It was like a funnel, the liquid I saw in its basin was slowly sinking downwards as it made its way to the stomach. Our stomach.

And the liquid was souls...

Even my appetite was rich.

But...there was something clogging it. I reached down into the water and pulled out a half-solid clump of liquid. Holding it in my hands I felt the soul try to solidify itself, but it was so erroded that it had no hope of that.

I examined it closely, examining it with the sixth sense. Holding it to my forehead I tried to scan its history, a technique hard even for myself to do, but on such a weak soul it was easy to do, and I found myself bewildered indeed.

This soul had lived inside of me when I was still Cyan Sung-Sun.

No, this thing had _been_ me. _He_ piloted me, possessed me.

How on earth did that happen? How did he stay so long inside me? How in God's name did...

My eyes flew open as his past became known to me. I stood there and realised the enormity of it all.

This human had lived twice. I staggered back in shock as all of his memories seeped into me.

The past, present, and future was unveiled before me, free for me to alter. I almost collapsed against a headstone as the scenes worked themselves into my mind. I was almost brought to my knees.

It took days for me to sort my thoughts out.

Days in which I experimented with my own existence.

I grasped the spear I created so long ago in my spare time and stared at the "blade," the deep blue crystal, and observed the stubborn soul inside it.

I made this spear his home now. This spear, this Psypher.

Psyphers were a fictional soul sucking weapon that became stronger and sharper with each soul. And what a strong one it was...

As a mere Zanpakutō, especially an Arrancars, it was impossible to do anything.

But as I felt another young conscious I glanced into the Psypher's glowing blue blade and smiled.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

 _"Hmm..."_ I moaned as a hand brushed against my green hair. White silk rubbed against my naked body as she scratched the back of my neck. "Lady... Harribel..."

"Sung-Sun. Are you okay?"

I rested an arm on her chest. "Never better, my love." I pushed my head into the side of her breast and rested there. "You hold me so well in those arms of yours." I lay secure in her arms under the bedsheets as one hand wrapped around my hips to pull me closer as the other kept brushing my hair.

"...That's because I'll protect you until the end of time. All of you."

"Me too lady Harribel." Eventually I moved so that my arms encircled her sides, my face pressed into the side of her chest to the point my forehead and the remains of her Hollow Mask were pressing into each other. "I'm glad you let me do that to you, Tier, I'd have given anything to have pleased you."

"I can tell you yearn for me, even now." My eyes were closed, meaning her serene and calming voice was all I could hear. "I never imagined that we'd ever have this kind of relationship, not in a million years, but I'm finding that I don't mind it."

"Indeed, even I never imagined that I could be so lucky. But I'm glad that I am, being rejected by you would have been more painful than being struck down by you. But still, I'm a little surprised those two never came back."

"Actually, they did." She turned to look and I followed her eyes.

"Oh my." I smiled the moment I saw them. "Looks like they couldn't help themselves either. Though to not have noticed them...I guess we got carried away didn't we?" I looked at the two of them as they slept there, their Hollow Masks had been shortened, but not to the same extent mine had been.

My Hollow Mask was cut down to just a single bar now, or a single rib. And although it was as long as it used to be it was about as thin as one of my fingers and didn't have the beautiful earrings on it anymore.

Tier didn't have a shark tail or plates to protect her underboob anymore, she just had her mouth down to her nipples covered in the remains of her Mask now.

These two didn't have their Masks as shortened as mine was, Emilou had one long longitudinal strip that was as wide as three fingers and had a single horn on the front of it that was about as long as her forearm.

Mila ended up with her Mask having been left as a thick necklace and a jagged, half formed crown. A stark difference from before considering it used to protect her chest.

After a moment of silence I continued talking. "Tier... I'm glad I got to do this with you, whether it's the last time or not, I, without fail, find your life to have more meaning than my own. I can't live without you. I live for you." I looked longingly into her eyes. "That's why I'll always be by your side, I'll be ready to take the blow for you, no matter what it is."

She stared into my eyes in turn as I got lost in hers. "It sounds like I can't persuade you. What if I don't want to sacrifice you for my own safety?"

"...Tough." I whispered. "I can't go on without you." I rested my head on the part of the Mask that still covered her breast. "You have become my sole reason for living now, and anything you ask I'll carry out." My tone became aggressive. "My only reason to keep on living is to grant you the ultimate pleasure, to secure you. I've gladly become your instrument along with these two, we'll gladly destroy the Human World right now if you asked us to, I would even take my own life if you asked. The world is at your fingertips, my lover, you need only speak of your desires and we would rush to fulfill them. I know you don't understand where I'm coming from, but you saved my life, thus, you have the right to own it, so you can do whatever you want with it." I caressed her with kisses. "To be in love you have to bare all of it to your significant other, every dark side and bright one."

"I think you've mixed love and fanaticism together Sung-Sun." She said.

"It's the only way I know how to love." I replied.

"... That's not a good attitude to have." She whispered back.

"...Tough." I rested my hand on her stomach, caressing her lovely mocha skin. "I will grant all of your desires, my goddess, even if it frustrates our love, I will...I will love you the only way I know how, completely and totally, with every fiber of my being."

We simply stared into each others eyes as I finished speaking. Perhaps she tried to comprehend where I was coming from, but just as Gods and men did not understand each other, neither could our love be understood. I loved her with every inch of my being, so much so I'm surprised I could even manage to articulate some of my feelings.

I sat up, resting some of my body on her as I brushed my hand through her braided gold locks of hair. I felt like I spent an hour simply caressing her like that.

"Lady Harribel, just in case I'm not clear enough, I don't mind if you partake in our bodies, like I have yours. We are your property after all."

"... Your love is just as intense as it is foreign."

I smiled at her. "I'm glad you understand. I love you."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Though I longed to rest with the only people I cared about, duty came calling.

We turned to look at the door as someone knocked on it. "Lord Aizen requests your presence at once." A soft and muffled voice spoke through the large double doors. I gave a soft snort as I heard them walk away and turned to face Tier, watching her stand and bear her beauty to us before she put on a variation of theArrancar jacket that came with a high collar which covers the lower part of her face downward, while baring a good portion of the lower half of her large breasts to my great delight. The jacket has a zipper running along its entire length, which is actually opened from the bottom upwards. It also comes with a presumably redundant beige air filter on either side just below the trim. The jacket's sleeves completely envelop her arms, terminating in black glove-like extensions at her extremities, resembling the appearance of a cat's paw.

My own outfit consisted of a long white dress with long sleeves that extend well past my hands that a single slit in each one, and two thin belts criss-crossing around my waist. I tugged at the furry black necklace it came with as I put it on.

The one thing all of us had in common besides the colour scheme of our outfits was that we had a black tabi and a white zōri, which were socks and sandals respectively.

Looking at Emilou I saw her wearing the standard Arrancar uniform but with shoulder length sleeves with black cuffs and a deep, plunging neckline to show off some cleavage. She also had gloves and collars over her wrists.

Mila's attire was definitely unusual. Her chest piece could be called a bra, but it was basically a shelf for her chest that nicely framed her Hollow Hole, which was just under her chest. The rest of her skimpy attire came with gauntlets on her forearms, and a white skirt. The only problem was that it was all white. "You know...I would have quite enjoyed the bikini warrior aesthetic if it didn't look like you were wearing paper." I commiserated.

Mila gave a unamused look at herself. "I don't actually mind it, but I gotta say, whoever made this had some balls to make an Espada wear this."

"Heh, whoever they were I think I knew where they were looking." Emilou slid a rather sly look at Mila as she spoke.

"Ladies it's time to go." Harribel headed off any potentially violent retort as she opened the door and cast the artificial light of Las Noches upon us. Walking to the edge of Harribel's palace we took in the sunlight before we took in the rest of Las Noches. I examined every single building, seeing the massive gap between solitary buildings and towers before moving onwards.

We traversed the distance with Sonido, crossing the immeasurable length in a mere minute and stopping before the double doors that lead to the most important structure in Las Noches.

As we pushed them open we came across some intriguing company before we even got to step inside. Ulquiorra Cifer.

As the titanic doors closed behind us he turned to behold us as we kept on walking.

I gave him an impassive glance as we walked closer, the only notable thing about him being that ugly bat-eared helmet he had on one side of his head along with his pasty white skin. I looked past his helmet, his Hollow Mask, to see the pure black hair and eyeshadow he had along with those strikingly green eyes and teal tear tracts he had.

"Well now, I see you've finally got a mouth. And even better, it doesn't look like you'll be mouthing off with it like these two here." I lightly muttered at him.

He turned to face me, his pale skin and dead green eyes with their slits stared into my own lavender orbs, and he opened his newfound mouth to-

"You know you're real full of it to be saying that after what you did last night."

"Emilou..."

She shut up when my love said her name.

"No. I don't think I'll ever be using it for such a pointless thing either." Ulquiorra's voice was dead. There wasn't even a speck of emotion in it. Just like I expected.

"Oh?" I light-heartedly replied. "There's an odd lack of emotion coming from you, considering your little tear tracts. Well, I was just wondering what it was like for you, suddenly getting a mouth and all."

He turned his back to me, showing off his white jacket and its long coattails as he walked down the large corridor. "It is working just fine, as you can no doubt hear. And I consider the tear tracts to be no different than the spots under your eye."

"How boring. Since we're heading in the same place I'd have hoped for a small spot of mindless chatter to pass the time." I replied.

"Why do you keep talking to this weirdo Cyan? You're not gonna get anything interesting from this emo." Apacci complained. "Bastard only got his mouth just yesterday, its not like he knows how to use it."

I gave a long sigh before I replied to her. "I suppose you're right. Well, since I can only gossip with you two what do you think is going to happen?"

"Hm, we'll see what happens. I don't know the ins and outs of being an Espada, so guessing is useless." Mila muttered.

"I concur." The only man amongst us spoke. "We are all new no matter how high our rank is, so guessing is completely pointless."

"Jeez, do you actually have an opinion? I hope I don't have to work with your scrawny ass if you're always like this." Emilou crassly said.

"On that too, I concur. You are nothing less than trash." His simple retort angered Emilou something fierce.

I gave a long, protracted sigh as we walked towards the Espadas meeting place as the two of them argued.

Clearly the best odds we had of persuading him was with Aizen's death. He was too emotionally stunted to experience ambition or fear, he was more like a calculator than a Hollow. So at least I wouldn't have to make some speech to make him fear for his life under Aizen's command.

"So just what are your planning to do at the end of all this?" I interrupted them.

At my question he turned around and looked at me. "Should I be concerned? That question has many implications in it."

As we casually kept walking past him we set his fears at ease, Emilou speaking with sadistic glee. "Oh I'm sure your beloved Aizen-Sama already knows he's playing second fiddle in our heads. If Lady Harribel didn't wanna stick around then I'd already have killed you all and left." Lady Harribel stayed silent despite being brought up so brazenly in conversation.

"I see. So your opinions don't matter then." He didn't even look her way as he said that.

I gave a quick sigh at their terrible interaction. Oh well, at least it didn't actually matter to him. As long as one of us replaced Aizen that was all that mattered, we could treat him however we wanted and we'd still have him in our pockets.

Him and everyone else. I'd just have to monitor them and ensure they got no funny ideas under our rule.

I think the first thing I'd do once I got to rule was to petition Lady Harribel to block all other Espada from making contact with Szayelaporro. Him being immune to my power was already more trouble than I felt comfortable with.

It was inevitable that he'd find out what I was doing and make a cure at some point. Upon thinking that I decided to up the dosage on the trash Arrancar, draining more from them and keeping the Espada at a dripfeed pace.

"So this is it?" Emilou grumbled. Looking at the giant doors one could only guess this to be the meeting room unless they had sensory abilities like mine. There was nothing about it that made it stand out except it's position. It was in the middle of the palace and on the second highest floor.

Well, that and the rooms on the second floor could be counted with both hands, a stark difference in comparison to every floor below it.

Pushing it open we walked towards a table surrounded by marble white chairs that had headrests twice as tall as its user. Instead of paying any attention to those who arrived before us I looked at Lady Harribel to see her go to the end of the table.

Paying no heed to the glances sent our way by the more obsolete of us Espada we all sat next to her. The exception being Ulquiorra of course, who took the closest seat available to him. All four of us sat as close together as we could and stared across the table at Aizen. Well, Emilou and Mila sent glances at the other Espada, but they were hardly worthy of attention in my eyes.

"Welcome." Sōsuke warmly greeted. "It's so good to see you all again, my dear Espada. As you all know, our dear Nel has been missing for quite some time now. So I found someone else." His smirk stood out as he casually spoke about replacing his Espada. "Of course, since you see six of them here before you, you may think I've gone a little overkill, or even be eager to wash my hands of you, but don't fret." He lifted his cup and drank from it without making a sound. "Three of them are just especially powerful Fraccion." Bewildered looks were sent our way. I couldn't blame them since our power was pretty remarkable.

I looked at them out the corner of my eyes and tried to spot someone familiar. Nnoitra was there of course, he also looked a little younger than I remember him being. My mind was probably playing tricks on me. I could see Aaroniero and his distinctive getup along with Zommari, and that brat Grimmjow.

Was that it? Nnoitra, Aaroniero, Grimmjow and Zommari? I know we came in with three of the Espada but I was still in disbelief over it.

I reluctantly looked out the corner of my eyes at the obsolete Arrancar to sate my curiosity and saw the rest of the future Privaron. I only remembered them because of how odd they looked, Cirucci with her purple teardrop markings and that weirdo and his orange afro.

Aizen continued speaking. "My colleagues will be teaching the new Espada what bring an Arrancar means." He smiled as he gave his last statement in the meeting. "We also have textbooks about being an Arrancar written down for you if you need a refresher. It's a rather recent invention, and it'll be in your rooms on a bookshelf somewhere. Your Zanpakutō however, will have a quick, personal lesson conducted by Kaname Tōsen and Gin Ichimaru at a time of their choosing. Any questions?"

"Well, what do we do in the meantime?" Apacci asked him.

"Nothing much, for now. We've got a text on Arrancar techniques for you to read, although, you don't strike me as the reading type, a shame. By all means however, pursue whatever training method you think most suitable for you. Just door outside if you can help it."

"Okay, sure whatever, so what's the deal with all those tattooed freaks and their numbers? They some kinda squad or something?" She continued on.

"Nothing like that, no. I've simply numbered all the Arrancar that I've made so far, usually on the spot, but since you're all so close together in both time and power I'll wait and see. Your Resurrección is going to shake the order after all, and I'd rather not apply the numbers twice you see? If that's all?"

Emilou stayed silent at his probing, having run out of good questions to ask.

"Then you're dismissed. I want all of you to take it easy and get settled in until you get your Resurrección."

Aizen stayed seated as we all walked past him and went back to our palace.

Our pleasant walk across the sands was interrupted however when the sand was disrupted as a tall man suddenly appeared in front of us.

A large pole with a crescent blade cut into the sand, blowing it into the air as a black haired man stared at us with a leering grin on his face.

Harribel glanced at him cooly. "What do you want... Nnoitra?"

He gave a big grin, showing his teeth as he spoke. "What else? I could already tell that these three are your Fraccion." His eye narrowed in sly smugness as he continued prodding us with his oily voice and vulgar attitude. "Can't a guy be interested in a couple of chicks?"

There was nothing that made me think he was vulgar or crass in his words or even the attitude, they did, but there was just something about looking at him that made me believe he was.

It was exactly the opposite way with Gin Ichimaru, I never actually assumed he was a lech when I first saw him. I had knowledge he was and acted on that, the complete opposite with this ball of slime.

"I take it your done then?"

"Oh, I dunno about that one." His giant white teeth shone under the artificial light of Las Noches. "Who couldn't possibly be interested in their power after all? Mere Fraccion sitting in a meeting of Espada...doesn't happen." His last sentence was aggressively spat out.

I increased the dosage of my poison in response, going for a meaty five percent.

"So that's your intent...and weakness." Her words made him glare instantly, the muscles in his face and sword arm tensing angrily. "Who told you of us? You clearly can't sense Spiritual Pressure if you've come before us and asked for a fight, either way, I suggest you stop wasting our time."

"Or _what?_ "

Before my love's hand could reach for her Zanpakutō's sheath Apacci stepped in front of us.

"Hey Sung-Sun...could you cut that out?" She looked at me out the corner of her eyes. "I'm going to be busy beating this bitch, so I seriously need you to quit it."

"...I see."

I stopped taking his power and saw him lift his weapon over his head, bringing it down towards her.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

1600 words or so were typed out the day after I made chapter nineteen. Which...makes this all the more pathetic eh?

I have nothing but cynicism for this chapter myself, utterly despising it. Or at least I did, think my sleep is screwing up my feelings in this regard. But I will forever remember this as a source of great frustration, which is why this chapter is getting the title it has, because that's exactly what it was.

Honestly I'm not sure I'm up to replying. Perhaps that's a sign I should take a break, but after seeing a fair few people follow and favourite this story while taking a break inspired me.

I think I'll follow my latest critics advice and highlight some fluff to delete later. Really wish they weren't so temporary though, and I can't believe that I'm complaining about how nice you all are. Funny problem to have though.

Now this pain in the neck chapter got popped out my pace should be faster.

I'll also reply to reviewers properly next chapter, Ruimask has a response since I made that before a fair chunk of the rest.

 **Ruimask**! "The only other favourite is a Predator Amongst Us"?! Holy shit! That story actually _did_ slip my mind. Christ! Thanks man, I added it to my favourites. I was panicked when I found out I forgot it. Thanks man!


	21. Twenty First Fist

**Electric Youth - Right Back To You.**

 **I've decided that's Cyan Sung-Sun's theme.**

 **I've also decided to take a break from all of this for a while, a long while, more at the bottom.**

 **You've all waited since 4/27 till 14/7. And I'm honestly sorry for that, I suppose being new to writing has gotten up to me or something. But these paltry excuses won't stop me from finishing this story by a reasonable time.**

 **So what do I have to show for it? 6000 words! The next chapter has 2000 words to be edited when my break is over and when I see the chapter in question.**

 **Please tell me if you notice any spelling or grammar errors.**

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

As he went to bring his weapon down against her skull she stepped into his guard with a Sonido and hit him in the chest, sending him flying backwards from the force of her hit.

"Heh, you really pissed me off when you got in our way you know that?" She hunched forwards as we saw him drag his polearm through the sand to stop the momentum of her hit. The moment he got his bearings she crouched, putting her hands and feet on the sand like an athlete and launched herself at him with another Sonido.

"Hmph, she has some nerve to be acting all big."

"I won't even bother asking why you keep criticising her, mostly because you're right. So is this the part where we provide mindless commentary Mila? Because it looks like Emilou already has some long winded speech in mind."

"Don't be ridiculous! I'm just disappointed this big shot is losing to the weakest of us. What's happening with him Sung-Sun?"

"Well..." I shifted my Zanpakutō to lean against my arm. "He's weaker than us of course, but it may be he's putting up such a poor showing because he's immature. In age, at least. But it only makes sense he's losing, he never became a Vasto Lorde before becoming an Arrancar."

"I wasn't asking for some mealy mouthed crap Sung-Sun. I was asking why he's being blown away like a leaf in the wind, isn't he supposed to be the hardy one of the bunch?"

"Well there's no need to be so rude about it! Hmph, and there goes all delusions that you'd learn some manners. You're such a boorish ape you know that?"

"I'm asking for an answer not some damn sass!"

"Well why on earth should I tell you after you've been so rude!?"

"Because you're the-"

Harribel stepped in and summed it up for her.

"He's immature. Like she said, and it matters a lot more now that we're not Hollows, I'd go so far as to say that it's not just the difference in how we were as Hollows that's making the difference entirely either. We're Arrancar now, so whatever abilities he has are still developing. Which means that Emilou's Hierro, which is twice as hard in her Hollow Mask is far better than his as it stands right now, maybe that'd stay the same even if he grows up. So if his Hierro is the highlight of his evolution then I'm curious how far it's coming along right now. I can't bring myself to believe his Hierro is completely developed yet."

Clashing with a metallic bang her fist was blocked by his polearm so she threw her left leg up, aiming to smash his hip into dust only to withdraw once he drew his polearm upwards and almost cut her leg. _Hmph. Should have grabbed the damn thing._ As Nnoitra withdrew his Zanpakutō he quickly thrust it at her head with a wide and hostile grin.

She politely tipped her head down and let it crash against her thick skull. Her Mask specifically.

He began to chuckle before she reached up and grabbed the shaft of the polearm and yanked it forward, letting it grind against her Hollow Mask as she pulled him into her knee, and with a firm grip on his weapon she brought her other fist right into his Adams Apple. He quickly pulled his weapon back, showing a surprising amount of pain resistance as he did so, but as he drew his Zanpakutō back Emilou revealed her Zanpakutō. As his weapon, and thus, her fist got closer to him the bracelet around her wrist suddenly sprung open, sprouting three spikes that ended up cutting deep into his cheek.

As he jumped back and wiped the blood from his face he threw us all a frustrated expression.

"Ha! It seems like you got pretty overconfident for a mere pissant!" She threw her arm out in exasperation. "C'mon, are you fucking serious? You haven't so much as scratched me, you can't sense, can't even outspeed me. Is there anything you're good at?!"

"Shut the hell up! You're not gonna be giving me lip after I beat the hell out of you! And what the hell was _that?_ I should have split that thick head of yours like a damn coconut!"

"Are you for real numbnuts?" Apacci brought her finger up to her ear and cleared it out before bringing it to her nose.

I sighed in disgust and turned around to avoid that disgusting display.

"Shut the fuck up!" She stared at him with a pinky jammed up a nostril as he screamed and extended his tongue past his teeth, showing us the tattoo of the letter eight. As he pulled his tongue back into his mouth she flicked the gold she dug right from her nostril and into his wide open mouth.

At least that was what we wanted to happen anyway.

The snot she flicked at his gob was vaporised as his Cero was literally screamed into existence. No one could see her when it hit her, the wide yellow beam having consumed the landscape.

Well...

That was how it was supposed to go anyway.

Emilou threw up something I've only ever seen her do once, an unnamed shield made of Reiatsu that stopped his Cero dead in its tracks, and as she turned back to look at us her face scrunched up in an expression of unholy violence.

The moment she realised who else that Cero _could_ have hit she went ballistic and ended it. Stepping right in front of him with Sonido she stood up, the horn of her Mask having pierced through to the roof of his mask. "You fucking shit!" She beat into his chest, even as her head hung low thanks to the sudden weight on it. "You fucking dare to swing your fat ass Harribel's way you fucking neanderthal?!" She spat at him. Each punch made his entire body jerk violently since each hit could send him flying. In a fairly smart move he brought his weapon to stab her only for her to draw one of her weapons out and sever the inside of his elbow and keep beating him like a punching bag.

"Tch, guess we'll never know if that freak even had a Resurrección or not now. Show's over." Rose muttered from beside me.

"Yeah, that was even quicker than I thought it'd be." I lifted my hand from my face and brushed my hair back. "Well, at least a new show is starting as it were." She ignored the cut she put in his arm and kept pounding him where I would have reached inside and pulled out every little strip of meat bit by bit.

I leaned back on the love of my life as I witnessed this play out before me, feeling faint bemusement in how the blood flew from his chest after Emilou beat the skin off of his chest. "C'mon, let's go."

I relaxed my upper body, putting a bit more of my weight on Tier's shoulders. "Hmm...couldn't we stay here Harribel? I'm sure it'll be more amusing."

"Hmph, you just don't want her to stop."

I looked away from Mila's passive gaze, blushing for some reason, but I stopped leaning on Harribel. If she didn't want to waste her time here then that was fine, and sadly, she didn't want to anymore.

Just like I anticipated, Emilou followed in Lady Harribel's footsteps after punching him off her horn. I followed suit up until I reached him.

I looked down at him before stepping on him, the sole of my white sandals now covered in blood before I noticed him looking at me, which was when I smiled behind my sleeve and kicked him in the chin, a handful of sand flying upwards to stick to his hair and face, which was resigned and scornful. He didn't say a word as I kept toying with him.

For one whole hour...and not a single person came by as I slowly took him apart, slowly escalating into torture with each minute.

It was wonderful to know that he'd be limping back to Aizen in this state and that Aizen wouldn't do a _thing_ to me. _Wonderful indeed..._

All that was left was to continue this process over the years I was stuck with him. Breaking a Hollow into a subservient meatshield that feared you more than death was a lot of work, and I wanted him to throw himself in front of each attack without thinking, I had to make him fear my very shadow. This meant that I would be fighting him to the death, multiple times if I wanted a man as scornful and suicidal on my side and working for us.

Wasn't it his wish to die fighting? You'd have thought he'd love my plans for him then, guess I'd have to make him.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

It had been about a week and nothing had really changed routine wise.

You'd think it might have involved more academic feats, and if I were a Shinigami you'd be right. But Hollows are creatures of instinct, and being an Arrancar didn't change that.

Our path to power was still in our killing instincts and experiences of brutality, where one mistake meant death.

That's why you'll notice there's no one desperate in the ranks of the Arrancar, any Hollow worth his weight in sand got here by being ruthless and cunning, by doing whatever it took to win, not by being some cowering defeatist.

But I was still surprised my schedule was kept busy with daily fighting, something I had no trouble keeping up with even with the new weaponry of me and my opponents, although a quick and offensive dash towards my opponent was stopped when my Zanpakutō was forced to deflect her own.

One Chakram was parried with the blade while the other was coming straight for the hand that held it. I couldn't help but sigh at the different paces between Hollow and Shinigami. They never would have been able to do that even with a year of practice. I guess we really were born fighters unlike them.

It seems she shaped up to the point she could predict even my future movements, and though I could bring my majestic weapon down again to block it I would be left wide open. So with a flick of my wrist I batted away the other Chakram with the hilt of my weapon instead, sending it back to her just like with the other one only for my opponent to grab them by the ends and try to cut me open with the spiked ends.

My lovely Zanpakutō, my Nagamaki, was bigger than myself but it having a hilt as long as its blade made defending like this uncomfortable since any other sword would have made this easier.

As she thrust her Chakrams at me I brought my hilt down to block her onslaught, her flurry of strikes being blocked with the hilt of all things until she went to cut open my thigh and face, thanks to the large size of my Zanpakutō I could block attacks like these even if it was suboptimal. Even after another flurry of attacks where she tried to tear my shoulders, guts and neck open I couldn't bring my weapon back into a proper position to defend or attack, but as Apacci tried to rip my stomach open with both of her weapons I finally found my chance.

Blocking with the hilt I pushed with all of my force, putting my entire body behind it I pushed our weapons into her chest then smashed my left fist into her stomach, following it up with a Bala which sent her a few metres back with the front of her clothes burnt off, revealing the steaming flesh underneath.

"Well...that'll leave a bruise. Perhaps next time you should resort to something other than simply overpowering your opponent?"

"Ha! Don't think just because you got lucky that you're gonna get out of this unscathed!"

"The only luck involved is that I'm fighting an idiot like yourself." I concealed my smile behind a sleeve and continued to lecture her. "If you hadn't attacked like that I wouldn't have done that to you." I saw her face screw up in irritation before she tilted her head up and began to fire a bright red Cero from the tip of her horn.

Gently placing the blade of my Zanpakutō in the sand I rested my hand on the hilt and brought the other hand up and fired another Bala at her chin. This was how I fought now, my left hand empty and reactive with a preference to belt out Balas.

In firing bright pink bullets towards Emilou she brought her Zanpakutō out to disrupt me. I continued to punch bullets at her and her Chakrams as they came towards me.

Each and every time I hit her weapons they would just fly back into her hands where she'd throw them again, she didn't bother using them to block considering her head was the strongest thing in Hueco Mundo, so all I could do as she finally drew close was the expected. Drawing my weapon from the sand I threw sand at her face, what I didn't expect was for her Mask's horn to clash against my blade, her face so close to my other hand that I could have gouged her eyes out. Instead I tried to jump backwards as my left hand drifted down and tried to stop the strikes. My efforts were all in vain.

Almost before I knew it both her Chakrams were stabbed into my stomach before being torn out of my body, and as I staggered back in shock and pain Emilou quickly threw a Chakram up into the air to punch me, her fist coated in red Spirit Energy.

Her fist, and Bala, smashed into my cheek with the force of a landslide, ripping through my face hard enough for fragments of bone to fall on the sand.

As my limp body tumbled and flew backwards through the air as more blood flew away from the wound in my face before my regeneration kicked in, quick enough that I only now collided against the sands as I lethargically moved my body so as to make my knees drag across the sands at the high speed of my impact.

Staring at her blankly from across the ever increasing distance between us I slowly brought my hand up and tiredly wiped away the blood on my dress before bringing it to bear on Emilou in the distance.

"Gran Rey..."

I reluctantly brought my hand down and smothered the Cero. Firing that, along with releasing our full powers through Resurrección was forbidden while inside Las Noches.

As my body continued to get dragged across the sand I finally made contact with a sand dune that I decided to jump behind, and although I lost sight of my opponent I was more than confident that I'd hit her with this. I charged a regular Cero and merged it with my Zanpakutō before putting both hands on it and dragging it through the sand in a diagonal strike, tilting my entire body left at a ridiculous degree to get the strike just right, bending my knees to get the strike at an even lower angle I finally attacked the sand dune. And the sand exploded.

As my paper thin, brilliant pink Cero cleaved through the sand and screamed towards where Emilou once stood my attack created a veil of obscuring sand. I dashed towards her like Soifon would have, as quiet as a dart and as fast as a bullet. The sand I blew into the air obstructed my vision as well as hers, but I didn't need mine.

With my two sensory abilities I quietly landed in front of her and slid my sword into her side, right where her kidney would be, my right hand drawing back to react. As I was doing that I slid the heel of my foot behind her and smashed it into the back of her knee and threw the rest of my body forward, ignoring her scream my left hand ghosted the hilt of my sword to get a sense of direction, a lone finger trying to keep up with the movements, and once the arc of her fall was just right my right hand quickly morphed into a fist and smashed into the hilt of my sword.

I could hear, but not see, my thickheaded friend cough up her own blood, which was a bad reflex to have considering all the sand around us.

Being the merciful angel that I was I planted my foot on her stomach and pulled my sword out. Except Emilou seemed to disagree on that. She fired a Bala into my foot, breaking the skin and giving me hairline fractures, she then grabbed the hand I had around my sword, doing her best to crush it.

I couldn't hold back my yelp of pain as another Bala crushed my nose, I went to smash a Bala into her mouth only to miss and blow sand into both of our faces. That was when her other hand came up and backhanded me, but I was still the one in charge here, so putting my back into it I withdrew my sword, stabbing it deeper into her only to lift it upwards and over my head only for her to kick of my sword midway through and stand up, having used my move as a crutch to get up.

As I leaned back from the force of her kick the sand cleared and I saw the wide wound that stunt cost her, I also saw what it would cost me, her chakrams had flown back into her hands. Too fast to react to, her Chakram split my sword arm wide open as the other one went into my face, its spikes stabbing through my jaw.

With tears of pain welling up from my eyes I created a gap between us and ripped it out as I squinted at her.

This was the bloodiest our training had gotten so far and it pained me. Physically not emotionally.

And to see her stand there stoically was infuriating. No doubt she flinched when I tore through her side and many other moments, but to see her stand there rather than clutching at her wounds made me feel ashamed.

No doubt she'd be feeling them later but the pain I felt was horrendous. The only silver lining was that the pain was momentary unlike hers.

She tsked as the only visible sign of damage she'd done to me was wiped away, all my wounds having healed over and my pains with them.

I sighed and then spoke. "Very impressive, but do we really have to do this?" I sheathed my sword, pulling out the sheath that I had strapped to my leg. "I mean, why me?" I brought my hand up to cover my mouth again.

"Hmph, are you wussing out cuz of the pain? C'mon! Don't tell me you're a wimp are you!?" A cocky grin grew on her face.

"Are you sure about that one? I think I could chop right into your spine with that cut I made. And why are you moving about like a clown with all those cuts?"

"Ah, C'mon! Don't tell me you're a pussy!?" She stood strong and thumped her chest, spurts of blood flowing out from some of her wounds at that.

"I'm just saying that there's no point in aggravating those wounds when you don't have to. But honestly, why did you drag me into this? It's hardly as if anyone would care if you fought the runts below us, the other Espada could stand to learn a few things after all. Honestly, the more I think of it the more this seems like some plot to spend time with me." I batted my eyes at her.

"Oh up yours! If you're not gonna fight then what the hell are you gonna do?!" She finally relaxed, slumping over and nursing her latest wound.

"Have fun of course. I don't know why you're so against it?"

She rubbed her nose and looked to the side. "Hmph, for such a pussy you really like wrestling huh? I dunno about you but I'd prefer to fist someone the wrong way you know? But why the hell aren't you practicing? Do you think Aizen's goal is a joke or something?" She gave me a cross look as she said that, I suppose I'd take it as a sign that she cared.

"Relax, I train you know? It's just that I do it with Lady Harribel all day, and if you didn't wander this place so much you'd know that, so your nagging is really quite pointless. Do you want me to critique you or something? Was that your purpose for bringing me out here?"

"Huh? Hell no! I don't need your stinkin' help!"

"Ah, so you really did bring me out here for instructions on throwing? Well-"

"Hey! I said I didn't need!-"

"Now now, you don't have to be so shy about this, you throw just fine! Just fine!" I did my best to reassure my flustered friend. "Now, you throw like a girl for one thing, which is a surprise considering this is you we're talking about. Though, you'll never be as good as me unless you develop a Pesquisa."

"You damn bitch!"

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

I adored our palace, it came with Fraccion who were mere secretaries of Aizen and were the best domestic servants you could find. Tailors, carpenters and even doctors. This army of domestic servants were people who could rebuild Las Noches should anything happen to it. There were fifty of them here and I believed the other Espada as high ranking as us had just as many, if not more, though I could be wrong.

They were diligent too, walking up all one hundred steps of stairs that were divided into two flights just to get to the only other floor in this palace of ours. And it was entirely dedicated to us. But that wasn't all, we had two separate stairwells, one just for us and one for our servants. We had a round staircase of polished marble that had no stifling handrails. There was a cupboard in-between the two staircases and more on the first floor, which was just a servants quarters really.

It was a decedent leisure dome, an open air bedroom that took up the entire floor, or just a palace sized bedroom if you wanted to be succinct. But even if you boiled it down like that there was still plenty of opulence in having a bedroom like that.

A bookshelf ten meters wide, a silk covered bed wider than a limousine with chests and drawers made of the smoothest marble along with chandeliers that were as pure white as the tiled ceiling it hung from. The cold floor did wonders for my bare feet, as did the servants and their many remedies. I tilted my foot up to examine it and saw it glisten from the water before I put it back in the small tub of ice cold water and threw my head back as I listened to the music.

They wanted it to be warm water, and though I had no doubt it would have been lovely I decided to make it cold for today.

Sitting on the foot of the bed I stared at the outside, one of the walls of this palace having become an entire balcony made that easy.

I fiddled with the remote, still trying to wrap my head around the fact the balcony had shutters, that we could extend this whole level outwards and literally sleep under the sun and that we _had_ servants.

I honestly couldn't get over it.

As far as I was aware the first floor didn't have this, I assume all it had was barracks and a large and simple washroom, but I knew my expectations could be drastically off, I couldn't think of a reason why Aizen made everything so lavish. To buy our loyalty? No. Because we didn't care about it. To make us comfortable? Nonsense, he was sending us to war!

To fulfill his aesthetic desires? Definitely.

It was as I opened the biscuit tin at my side and ate one that I heard the bathroom door open, steam and heat wafting into the room.

I glanced over to see Emilou grumbling after stepping out of the bath, her dark hair wet. "Man, I don't get this Jinzen thing. They want me to think like a sword? How the hell does that work? Seriously, I just tried it and it was a bunch of bullshit I'm tellin' you! You got that guy all messed up, he's not a pervert he's a good for nothing con artist!" She didn't throw her arms to the side like an ape this time as she ranted at me.

I stared into her eyes, that beautiful shade of ice blue and amber before speaking. "Why can't he be both? Besides it's probably _you_ causing the problem this time. I didn't think it was possible to be more stupid than a sword but well...here we are."

"Oh screw you, if you think having some delusions is smart then I wouldn't wanna be that! Gin's been slipping that blind freak Tōsen some magic mushrooms or some shit!" She wiped herself down with the towel she walked in.

Her reply got me giggling through my words. "You know it's probably patience right? I doubt a person as gung-ho as you could sit still long enough for it to take, you even performed Jinzen in the bath after all."

"Don't buy into their hokum, just try it if you think I'm wrong." She waved me off dismissively as she went to get a new pair of clothes, identical to her last ones. Those clothes were also out in the open in some basket on the balcony, giving me a good view of her modest and lovely features.

Ah, but there's the rub...anyone else looking at her but us would get a Bala to the face. It's how we lost a few of our male servants.

It was like a canon hitting a watermelon, and if they somehow dodged it then she'd kill them some other way.

Was there a reason to put the basket out in the open air? I don't know, and I don't really care for the rhyme and reason of it. I just closed my eyes in exasperation as I reached over and pulled the sword onto my lap before readjusting it a few times and closing my eyes.

"It won't work!"

Ignoring her bleeting I continued to meditate after drying my feet and resting them on the edge of the tub. I was like that for what had to be ten minutes without any interruption before I found what I was looking for.

I knew I accomplished what Apacci couldn't the moment the wind brushed across the side of my face rather than the front.

"So...you've finally come, Master."

I opened my eyes at the sound of my own voice and beheld my Zanpakutō from where I was sitting.

Before me there was a long black carpet that ran across the room to which she stood to the side of, her head turned to face me.

"Well...That's the third time I've heard my lovely voice." I looked at her, her long blonde hair and grey eyes being the most notable features since the hair fell to the floor. She had small lips and round eyes with small eyelashes. Her dress was simply too big for me to get an estimate of her sizes. Not even her shoe size, but if she had my voice then I bet she'd have the same body type too. "So you're my Zanpakutō hm? Well, you have an excellent taste in sleeves I'll give you that." They were better than mine, they were in an entirely different league! They almost hit the floor and were absolutely magnificent for it!

"Thank you." She turned towards me and bowed. "I've been waiting for you Master, normally an existence like myself wouldn't bother. We are just proof of your power, we have no right to deny you a single thing, nor even ask questions. But there...is a circumstance that calls for your immediate attention."

"Oh? Well this is nice, it seems you know your place around here. Now what is this bit of business we must speak of?"

"Though I'm a speedbump of an existence unable to deny you anything, unable to act in any manner, there was one thing I could do, one thing I found that was foreign to us that I repurposed for our needs." She stared at me with an apathetic and bored expression. "The expected result, even despite being dead weight I've proven to be better than the rest of my supposed equals."

"Of course. Anyone like me is bound to win, that's why me and Soifon are the best of the best after all, with only Harribel being the exception." It was pretty odd that we both had the same thing going on in our personal lives. Ignoring that thought I leaned back and crossed my legs as I stared at her. "So you normally wouldn't be able to do anything could you? Obtaining Segunda Etapa happens entirely on my end doesn't it? All you can do _is_ exist."

"Yes. It's impossible to develop or prohibit. As a matter of fact, you've already obtained your Resurrección just by meeting me. With that simple act you expanded the distance between your existences, that of a Hollow and a Shinigami, and the more you do so, the more you develop yourself as a Shinigami, the stronger you become." She looked right into my eyes and reached into her robes. "There is, however, another way to get stronger..."

I laughed before finally replying. "What on Earth could that be?"

"This..."

I was hypnotized by what I saw next. From out of her robes she pulled out a blue gem so intriguing that I ignored the metal pole attached to it. "That...is me? No...it's Mila?! So this is...Ayon huh?" My eyes did not leave that shining blue gem, I was hypnotized from the sensations it gave me.

"Yes, Quimera Parca is inside this gem." _Yes? She knows?_ She kept talking before I could. "Cero Sincrético, your master Harribel...all these things and more have allowed you to do this." She raised the spear in emphasis. "It's a technique that exists because the bond between you three is so close, all three of your souls have been tied together in the mission to protect Harribel, but...it's not a technique any of you can use yet. None of you can use it until the rest have gotten their Resurrección, and if the desire to use it strikes any of you I urge for it to be used outside of Las Noches."

"How on earth do you know about Quimera Parca?"

"How else do you think Ayon was born? We were the ones who made him, but now that you are different from how you're supposed to be, I had to make him differently. I'm not sure if you know, but your knowledge of the future spread to me through a frightening medium that I altered for our purposes. The Ayon you know is very different from the one you'll come to know. But that's meaningless now since you can't use it."

The wind had stopped blowing. "...Excuse me?"

"The ideal scenario is that you will summon him in Fake Karakura where I will then change him." She explained. "The power of Kyoka Suigetsu is that it works only once. Those who have seen it exert its powers are helpless against it, but after that moment everything is fine. You may be curious as to what that may have to do with the perfect scenario. But..." A hand reached into her clothes and pulled out an intricate metal sword of black and silver, but at its tip was yet another gem that grabbed my attention. It gave off a blood red glow and another frightening sensation. Just like before, I could sense myself wafting from that crystal, but that was it. It was just me. Mixed with something else, something close enough to me that you could barely tell the difference. "But once upon a time...you were controlled by a parasite. A parasite that knew things, a parasite that was excised from your body over time. But most importantly, a parasite I've repurposed for our own needs. Planting this parasite in Quimera Parca's childlike mind we will activate it after that moment passes, for this parasite is enough to count as a different person from Ayon, so once that moment passes..."

I sat there in stunned silence.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

It took too long to write this chapter, it really didn't need much work at all either. I don't think it was just the summer that made me slow writing this either, I have to do better than string you along or waste your time. I'm sure it comes off as being unnecessarily harsh, but I hold you in high regard.

I think I may have burned out on this, but absence, and getting the rest of those DVDS will make me write with the same zeal I once had. No matter what, I will finish this story in less than two years, and I will not suffer a loss of quality for it.

Sorry. I'm not sure what to say, but I know I'm fixating on too many details, I'm going to watch an episode to determine if _side characters_ are brave enough to talk for Christ's Sake! He didn't die for me to be so anally attentive to every small detail damn it!

I'm amazed you seem to like the last chapter by the way, I was definitely irritated every single second I wrote it. But I hope you like this one.

Heh, I could almost complain about how nice you all are again. So, review time! And then a small teaser for the future.

You'll love it I'm sure...heh heh.

 **006Sam!** To be honest I was thinking about finishing the Nnoitra fight in that chapter, but I was quite concerned with the tone of the chapter. I thought about making a training montage, but as time kept dragging on I decided to replace that with just the Emilou and Sung-Sun fight. I need to tell and show you the power of an Espada. Hope I don't fail.

 **Ruimask!** Ah...how to describe it? Less independence, autonomy and such. They exist and have a personality because they're gatekeepers? Coyote Starrk and Lilynette Gingerbuck? They're a godsend to me because they exist and have a colorful personality.

I have real trouble describing it, but they exist because the Arrancar has become so strong or so alien that something breaks off from the base, existing just to contain something. Shinigami Zanpakutō are more like a twin brother or sister, a very pissy, spiteful one that would let you die before compromising it's pride. The very definition of cutting your nose off to spite your face.

 **Calamari Inkantation!** Oh ho? Feel free to go through some more, I'm glad to know you've been reading my story, I suppose I'm doing pretty well for a new writer. Hope you have a great time too pal.

 **Antex!** Heh! Guess you have you're answers, I'll be ranking them next chapter too, and it'll be especially delicious when I do so. Not that I have thought of how to do so but...it will be fantastic!

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"My, she's not a very forgiving person is she?"

"Are you surprised? They're all grudgeful by nature and I don't think being an Arrancar is going to change that."

His silver haired lieutenant turned to him, his usual smile on his face and his hands at his sides. "Oh no. I was just surprised that she took time away from Harribel to pick on him is all. I had thought that if Emilou had left then someone as aloof as Sung-Sun would have followed too. I guess she mislead me."

"I believe she knows the value of justice. I think her and I may actually get along since she seems to be a good disciplinarian."

Gin turned to the one who just spoke, the sly grin on his face having become very real. "Really? A friend eh? I suppose you'll ignore this one too the first time they ask you a question? I imagine that won't end well this time Kaname. She's quite feisty as you can see."

The third Captain growled at Gin and placed a hand upon his hilt as his antagonist stood there calmly.

That was the trouble with these two, they couldn't be further apart, it made keeping the peace an interesting challenge to pass the time. At least it would be if it was anyone other than Kaname Tōsen. "You know, there is something I never got to ask them." Kaname didn't immediately turn to him but it's clear he was listening. "They came back after fighting multiple Captains back to the scene of their crime, Karakura Town, and though I didn't care about it at the time there were a few deaths that resulted from that. The Soul Society didn't pick up on that until a bit after, and not all of them could be found either, but one of them actually turned out to be very special due to recent events."

The image of a dead man flashed in his mind as he stared at Cyan slowly tear into one of his Espada.

"Oh? What exactly do you mean sir?"

"Nothing earth shattering really, just something amusing I thought of that I think everyone involved would quite like. To think such mundane actions can come together so splendidly." An amused smile came to his face as he imagined it.


	22. Twenty Second Duet

"Argh...did ya' have to burst my damn kidney?!"

"Oh quit your whining, first you complain I don't fight enough and know you complain about this. I can't win with you huh? And complaining in front of your inferiors like that is unsightly." I could see Granz, the important one, develop a twitch in his eyelid as Emilou flailed about and knocked some stuff off the tray.

"Ahahahaha! Did you hear that Szayelaporro? How does that make you feel?" Granz, the unimportant one, laughed at his little brother. It was hypocritical and desperate behaviour, dripping with undeserved ego.

I ignored the taller blonde sibling to glance at Szayelaporro from the corner of my eye.

How was I supposed to acquire his services? Very carefully, and I had decided to go ahead with and handle it like I did Ulquiorra.

I could keep him powerless, but a man as intelligent as he is would eventually find out that I was the cause of that, he was smart enough to know his own strength to get frustrated and make a tool to check, and there was no way that he would ever be content after that. But I had delayed the process of him becoming an Espada, I had applied my poison to the rank and file Arrancar more than I did the Espada, and now that I had *guessed* it was his time to become an Espada I stopped leeching from him and came here to put on a show that'd make him fall in line.

That was the first draft of my plan anyway. The flaw was that I assumed that I was just that lucky when a simple glance at revealed Neliel was gone. In other words he already built investigative tools. A fair bit of my plan involved playing it by ear, but most of this was scripted. Like waiting for Eelford or whatever his name was to antagonize his brother and _coincidentally_ finding Szayelaporro and trusting him to fix Emilou.

I ignored most things as the surgery continued except for Szayelaporro, who asked me why I assumed he was a surgeon. "You looked nerdy enough." Being my reply.

I observed Szayelaporro shoo his desperate and egotistical brother out the room citing some medical issue or other and immediately saw his game. He advertised a list of helpful procedures to replace the lost kidney in an attempt to curry our favour, and upon settling for one put up an excellent bedside manner and then popped the question.

He coyly approached me and inquired about my poison. He was very understanding about me using it on the rest of the rank and file but he would like for it to be lifted from his body.

I looked at Emilou for a second, feeling very satisfied with myself before giving him the answer.

"Of course Szayelaporro...as long as you agree to work for Her Majesty. A few favours here and there, you know what we want."

It was as peaceful as could be since he was going to become an Espada. Why tempt him into ratting us out?

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

 _Twenty brothers...hmph._ I scoffed at that. I was fairly sure I was alone in my offense, but you could never tell with these two.

Besides, what the hell were these random strangers doing here? They were just lucky enough to be here on some other buisness to see an Espada in action, but to lump us in with the dead weight was an insult. Well...ignoring our femininity was the only thing I was insulted about to be honest, and only two of us had that. I ignored my minor irritation and simply glanced at Ulquiorra as he plucked his eye out and crushed it, leaving nothing but glittering dust that spread to each person in the room.

As the dust reached me I felt an overwhelming amount of apathy and saw what Ulquiorra had done in the Human World. This was Solita Vista, a technique of his that could let him share what he both saw and felt with others.

That last part was the most important part since without it I would have felt my heart give out upon seeing Tatsuki Arisawa stand up and fight Yammy Llargo alongside Chad. I could see that big lug smiling gormlessly as he fought them. He was handling them well, but he was taking a lot more damage than he should have done, but he still ripped Chad apart in a single swipe and ended up beating Tatsuki. Apart from that all of the events played out as they did otherwise. Orihime showing off her healing powers along with the casual torture of everyone involved at Yammy Llargo's hands.

We all returned to consciousness at the same time, all of us standing still as Aizen talked. "I understand. So, I see that you have decided that he wasn't worth killing."

"Yes, the orders were to kill anyone who might pose an obstacle, and we learned that there was no one." He said. I could agree, No one put up a fight against Yammy except for Ichigo, who then immediately got beaten. Seeing that had me worried, but then I calmed myself. My plan to kill Aizen never needed Ichigo, that and Yammy getting the upper hand on him was some sort of fluke.

"You were soft!" I heaved a great sigh loud enough for the whole room to hear. "If it were me I'd have killed both of them with the first strike." Grimmjow turned to me. "And what the hells wrong now?"

"Just sad to see an ankle biter among the Espada." I replied. "Is it that you're worried after seeing Yammy's missing arm? Or are you just keen on reminding us about your inferiority complex?"

"It's not about my damn feelings Sung-Sun! He was told to kill him!"

Grimmjow's Fraccion then interjected, the tall one with a Hollow Mask similar to Mayuri's helmet being the one to speak. "I agree, he stood up to an Arrancar, an Espada at that. Those children should have died for that, be they worthy or not."

"And when you look at Yammy it looks like you two couldn't kill him!"

Yammy looked at him from his knelt stance and destroyed Grimmjow with facts and logic. "Grimmjow, it was clear, I know you saw what happened. That guy wearing clogs and that damn dark skinned girl beat me up." I was so proud of him in that moment.

"That is so pathetic! A guy wearing wooden shoes and a female beat you!"

I tittered at him as Emilou actually got angry. "My, you really are bitter about being the sixth Espada aren't you?"

"Why the hell do we keep this dumb asshole around?!"

"We keep him to laugh at him Emilou." Mila replied.

As Grimmjow grit his teeth and went to embarrass himself I couldn't help but be stunned by his stupidity. "You think you can laugh at me?! You!-"

"It boggles the mind...that you can be so stupid Grimmjow." Leftover traces of steam hissed forward from my fist, hidden by my sleeve as my Bala splattered him in the flesh and blood of his Fraccion. The horrible wailing of that smirking brat at his side ringing out across the chambers.

Sinister and sadistic smiles were present on everyone's faces, faint bother only coming from Zommari, who wanted us to be closer. "Now now, there's no need for that, why don't you get him checked out by one of the medics Grimmjow." With that dismissal from Aizen our meeting concluded.

"WHAT! YOU CAN'T LET HER GET AWAY WITH INJURING AN ARRANCAR!"

"Grimmjow..." Tōsen had drawn his sword while Gin smirked with Aizen giving a rare frown.

"IT'S COMPLETE CRAP! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE LETTING HER GET AWAY WITH THIS!"

"Because I'm better than you, whatever man power that could be lost from that dumb brat is something I could easily pick up the slack for."

"Exactly. Now watch your tongue Grimmjow!" Tōsen added.

As he grit his teeth and walked away to sulk I couldn't help but spare a thought for Zommari, the Seventh Espada. Bringing him over to our side would hardly be a challenge, despite being the softest one here he knew the laws of Hueco Mundo. If Aizen died he would follow us or Baraggan, but why spare him another thought? I had no particular reason to keep him alive after all.

But perhaps I should change my stance? I knew that he could defeat all of the seated officers as of this moment and go on to defeat the unseated too, but I don't really care for going out of my way for one more body.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

I developed a worldview based around my love. In short, it was to enforce a god given task to everyone to admire and worship her.

That's why I was so adamant on obtaining the loyalty of both Granz and Nnoitra. I looked at the world in ways that would benefit only Harribel, a view that extended even to people. You were useful to her or you weren't, that's all I cared about in others now.

Nnoitra was a useful meatshield that could learn to shut his mouth and do free labor, and Granz could do so many things it wasn't even worth listing them all.

And Orihime well...I lowered my sleeve as I looked at her and her two bodyguards who were trapped in this dark purple tunnel. This tunnel that bridged the way between the World of the Living and the Soul Society.

Preferably I'd like to do this the easy way and have her like Lady Harribel as much as I did, having Orihime as a permanent fixture amongst the servants was the desired outcome.

But now I had to scare her into submission.

"Hello."

"Wha-?! Get back Ms. Orihime!" I leapt forward at a leisurely pace, which was so fast that he was still staring where I had been but when I kicked him he had no problems seeing his jaw flying away.

Funny how fighting worked between souls.

As I walked past the incapacitated Shinigami I leisurely placed Orihime in an armlock and opened dialogue. "I'm Cyan Sung-Sun, I think you've heard of me?"

"Agh! Let me go!" I tracked her eyes only to see them land on her bodyguard's jaw that I kicked off him.

"Oh? Shouldn't you be focused on me instead? He's going to die anyway."

"Not if I...help him." I couldn't help but sigh at her weakness before lightly kicking her over to him, hearing her grunt in pain once again, leaving her to her work I walked towards the other Shinigami, who was so terrified his Zanpakutō was shaking in his hands from the situation. We didn't even have to flex our Spiritual Pressure for that either, and looking past him I saw my pasty faced college Ulquiorra.

"Why...why are you doing this?" The fearful tone of a fool woman's voice rang out.

I lifted my sleeve to cover my mouth again and stared at her. "Do you know what happens when you ask stupid questions."

She was quiet until I bounded over to the man she was healing and stabbed the tip of my shoe into his knee, pulverising his bones and blowing a hole through it.

Her wretched screams as she watched her protector get a hole in his leg was satisfying, especially since he could now join in on the screaming now that he had his jaw back. "I never thought of myself as a sadist before now, but a lot of things are starting to make sense. Well whatever, I guess you could consider that a Hollow Hole now hm? I wonder if you can fix that? Or don't you care to anymore?" I asked mockingly.

"You...how could you do this!? Why on Earth are you this horrible! What is wrong with you?! How can you be so heartless and cruel? Can't you people understand that he had loved ones?! Things to _protect?!_ Do you even know what that is!..." She broke off into sobs as she said that.

I stared at her as mindless screaming got closer from behind me, something I silenced by gripping his blade and grinding my palm into the blade, killing him as I ground his Zanpakutō into dust with my bare hand. The injuries done from "attacking" a Soul so much greater than his made it so that the blood bursted forth from his wounds came out at a terrifying speed, as the blood covered all three of us I grabbed the hilt of his Zanpakutō and shoved it into his body, using the handhold to move him about as I talked.

Looking down on her I could feel indignation flow through me. "You know...I was being polite just now." I lifted my arm a little, the newfound weight on it not slowing me down one bit. "But then you made me angry with that comment." I threw my arm to the side and let the corpse fly off into darkness as my other hand drew a picture tucked away in my belt. "Now there's a little secret I don't suppose Urahara or Yoruichi told you about? I came to Karakura Town a second time and met someone you knew." I flicked the photo at her, letting it fall against her face where she grabbed it and looked at it with her tear stricken face.

"...Brother?" The waterworks began in earnest now.

"Yes, I remember that night, not that I was ever aware I killed him, Aizen had to tell me. But I do remember the vehicular accident." I lowered my sleeve and smiled at her. "I turned him and his car into a flashlight."

"No..."

"Oh yes. Put my foot in the hood of his car." I looked over at the guy I tossed aside, the hole in his chest making for an interesting sight, the deep impression was wonderful, it was like aggressively stamped meat. However, it wasn't interesting enough to satisfy my needs...I wanted something better to look at. So with my new high-heeled shoes on I put my foot on her face, the heel being where her mouth was, and with the photo of her smiling brother out of her hands and under my shoe I pushed down. Cramming the photo of her beloved brother down her mouth as I kicked her away, throwing her right next to the dying man. "It may surprise you to hear this, but I was being polite before." My smile was chilling. "If only your power went to someone with actual manners." I was so angry my blade began to leave it's sheath before I drew it back. "Insulting my existence deserves this response, it should amaze you that I'm still being measured in my response."

I wanted to say more, but it would be horrifying for Emilou and Mila to know I cared about them so much after all. The teasing from my fellow Espada for admitting this woman just insulted my love would make me unimaginably angry and embarrassed.

"If you're quite done?"

I nodded at Ulquiorra and stepped back and watched him advance towards her. "Then come with me, little girl. Don't speak. Yes is all I want to hear. If you say anything other than that people will die, I don't mean you." He stopped as three screens appeared beside him, showing real time battle footage of Luppi, Yammy and Grimmjow beating up her Shinigami friends. "I'm talking about those closest to you." A horrified gasp came from her. "Don't ask any questions, don't tell me anything, you have no rights. The only thing you do have is the rope holding the guillotine safely suspended over the necks of your friends." I started moving on his cue, advancing towards the World of the Living. "Make no mistake, little girl, this is not a negotiation, it's an order. For some reason Lord Aizen has decided he wants your power, and so dispatched us with orders to bring you back unharmed. I'll only say this one more time."

"Come with me, little girl."

I ignored the rest of it because I was honestly that angry at this orange brat, and it wasn't the most pleasant feeling around. Was it because I had wanted to give her Stockholm's Syndrome?

It was the original plan, get her too attached to us to bear parting. Again, I developed a worldview based around the person I loved and cared for, that's why Orihime was the most valuable one of the lot. The ability to erase all wounds combined with some aesthetic appeal was all the reason I needed to kidnap her without prompt, but since I knew it would happen I didn't rush to do that.

That was a mistake I'm sure. We should have succumbed to our friends bloodlust, but instead me and Harribel were alright in waiting when it seems as if we should have done something.

My being here was a surprise, and an initially welcome one until I found out what the end result would end up being. I had to make do with something more hamfisted now, and I already found it distasteful enough as it was to balance two plates at the same time.

Granz and Orihime. Orihime was good for about...fifteen years give or take, and by then she would pain our eyes to look at and probably die not long after since she was human. Which is where Granz came in. His first order of business was to make her stop being human, preferably whilst keeping her visual appeal intact too.

Orihime was the meat version of Las Noches for me. Quiet and meek enough to go along with my plans for her while being a beautiful sanctuary.

If this wasn't a sign fate was on my side then what was? Everyone I loved had the ultimate healer, who was meek and quiet enough to work for us no matter what, but mainly because I was strong enough to kill all her friends.

Ah. Aizen...I got it now, I should be taking notes. Threatening her friends after I killed her brother was pretty smart since she was spineless, so all that was left was to _be_ her friends, or something better. I felt pretty stupid since I only just realised why he was going to stuck her with us. Those two were not going to like this, I'm not sure if Harribel would if I told her...

Oh godammit. Should I?

After Ulquiorra sent her off to the human world to finish Aizen's plot I decided I should tell them.

It was no secret we had no interest in men, and I served as a double edged sword, being both her lover and her oppressor. Not too sure I was looking forward to that first one, but as I left through the Senkaimon I put those thoughts out of my mind and listened.

"Damn, damn! DAMN!" It was a pitiful sound to hear from a Hollow, never mind a has been Espada. I approached him from behind, so fast that none could apparently notice me. "Now Grind!-" Then I drew my sword and hamstrung him, cutting right through the muscle to stop the nonsense.

"An Arrancar without arms...releasing his Zanpakutō?" The peanut gallery made confused noises at my sudden appearance. "If that isn't proof you're a liability I don't know what is. Well, the mission is over at any rate. Now stop treating that sword like a chew toy before I take your teeth." Upon those words the yellow light of Negacion covered all Arrancar in Karakura Town.

Glancing at Ichigo I could see the shock and surprise of a childhood monster of his as an Arrancar. But honestly, Grimmjow was the more interesting one to look at. The wounds covering him were more numerous than I cared to count. The remains of his Hollow Mask had been damaged, multiple stab wounds through the chest and I could barely make that last one out, he was drenched in blood and couldn't see so well with his eyebrow cut to the bone.

And those were his lightest wounds. His more severe ones being the exposed torso, the skin and the meat underneath having been cut or burnt away to show a ribcage with multiple cracks in it.

And of course, his missing arms.

I remember it like it was yesterday...

 _It was calm, music floating in from the other room as we bathed. A quick look around the room would reveal many luxuries along with an absurd amount of showers and baths, only four of which were being used, we'd never use them all I'm sure, but why let the servants use them?_

 _I had already finished but had decided to relax and do what came naturally to me. Which is why I was with Mila at the moment giving hair care, it was no real secret that I admired it, I brushed it quite often in bed after all. Franceska put up a bit of a fuss from time to time, mostly because she liked wasting her breath but she gave in. She appreciated the help what with it being so long and myself so thorough._

 _Perhaps I had become startlingly domestic, Harribel's chair in the meeting room had pillows thanks to me, and here I was fussing over another's hair. It is kinda weird that I came to care for someone that I'd do something so mundane, but I guess this is supposed to be natural considering I'm distancing myself from my Hollow identity_.

 _I felt like I didn't spend enough time with them so I had planned to that night, either fighting or gossiping. Almost all of my evenings were spent taking care of Lady Harribel. It was always best when she decided to sunbathe, I got an excuse to cater to her and be handsy. Did a more perfect day exist?_

 _I broke my daydream to gently dunk Mila's head into the warm water, having parted my legs to do so rather than move backwards. I didn't even register the act as inappropriate until after I had done it. I lifted her back up and we continued as I resumed dreaming about our future. Sure, it was nice to fawn after Harribel with cold drinks with ice and soft towels but wasn't there something more? Something better? I remember being distracted by such thoughts until I stopped daydreaming to reach for the soap and brush it against Mila's abs. It was perhaps her greatest feature, and though I shouldn't think this way, it did make me feel safe that she was so muscular._

 _I couldn't help but lean in to her when we were close, and I was about to do it when we all sensed two Spiritual Pressures enter Las Noches._

 _"Hmph." Mila softly snorted. "What'd he say? 'Looks like you two couldn't kill him?' What a disgrace, perhaps we really should kill him." I kept cleaning/caressing her as we all shared our disappointment in him._

 _"I told you blue haired people are subhuman. Can't trust that mangy mutt with anything."_

 _"Hmph, I still don't get what's up with your hatred of guys with blue hair." Emilou muttered from another bath._

 _"It must have been serious if he came back without his Fraccion." Harribel murmured_.

 _"Nonsense, we all knew they were weaklings anyway. It wouldn't surprise me to find out that they couldn't even handle Seated Officers." I replied. "That failure has only hurt us all with his actions. I think we should execute him."_

 _"Heh, I wouldn't mind that at all. He's a loose end!"_

 _"Also a loose cannon." I added. "Guess we'll be spending some time mocking him huh?"_

 _"I dunno, I might actually feel bad for picking on someone so pathetic."_

 _"Hell, well when you out it like that you make even me think twice about it, but nah, I'm gonna take the piss out of him."_

 _"Well, I guess low hanging fruit like him can be fun from time to time." I was happy to see Franceska give in._

 _We cleaned ourselves up in a hurry and left after having cajoled Harribel into coming with us._

 _What we saw was even more delicious than we ever could have imagined._

" _Oh my."_

 _"Ahahaha! You gotta be kidding me!"_

 _"This is downright pathetic, even from you Grimmjow."_

 _His face twisted into an ugly expression and he started barking at us. "Shut up! You think you can look down on me?!"_

 _"Hell yeah we can!" Emilou yelled, a grin on her face as she kneed him in the stomach. "Ahahaha! After all that dumb shit you said you go and get fucked up like that idiot Yammy?! Haha! Oh man, looks like you couldn't kill him either dipstick!" Spit flew out of his mouth as a hand went to nurse his new bruise._

 _"What are you reaching for Grimmjow? Your scar or your stomach?"_

 _He threw me a nasty glare. "How about you all shove it! It was that brown noser Tōsen who took my arm, not that brat!"_

 _"Not that woman then?" Mila Rose asked. "Well I guess I gotta fix that."_

 _"You wouldn't dare!" His words were met with a Bala square in his mouth, which hurt him enough for him to bleed from under the remains of his Hollow Mask, which covered the right side of his jaw._

 _"Heh, for you of all people to be talking about daring is funny. I can't tell if you were such a pussy that you never killed anyone there or what. Y'know, getting called daring from you really pisses me off when you don't know your place!" Emilou gave him a cruel smirk as she spoke. He cast a disgusted look at all of us._

 _"Cute."_

 _"You think you can get away with this? With harming an Espada?"_

 _"Except-" Harribel's words stunned us all. "You're not one anymore."_

 _Perhaps it slipped our minds since Yammy was walking around with both arms, but reality settled in for all of us there._

 _Grimmjow was free game._

 _Little did I know my social life was also going to get as ugly as Grimmjow._

"You really are disappointing, to let an errant test subject beat you...I should kill you here and now." I finished. I sheathed my sword again and made eye contact with Ichigo again before the Negacion closed around us, sending us to Hueco Mundo. "Today was perhaps the greatest disappointment of my life. I didn't even get to terrorise Ichigo and you proved to exceed my expectations Grimmjow, congratulations on being even more pathetic than I thought you were."

Who am I kidding? I doubt antagonizing Ichigo would make my day any better at all. Orihime and Grimmjow felt like a millstone around my neck. One dampened my social and domestic life while the other was a waste of skin that was so incompetent he was going to hurt us more than our enemies.

Whenever I didn't kill him I felt like Aizen when he handed Ichigo the keys to victory by destroying that entity that lurked in the Senkaimon.

I cast a disgusted look at him and reluctantly dragged him along. Although there were many things I could get away with leaving him in the middle of nowhere wasn't one of them.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

I sat pensively, waiting for my worries to be confirmed as the time passed, but no one approached our palace. As I sat there and read the Espada Quick Reference chart I debated telling them my suspicions when I finally found out how to qualify for the Espada.

As expected, I was disappointed.

After Grimmjow lost his arms he also lost his position only for a complete nobody to get to get it without passing a test. Luppi kind of was Espada material even though Grimmjow just killed him in two moves, the last one being just for show. I knew he couldn't beat any Espada below his rank, in fact, I wasn't even sure if he could beat Cirruci. He didn't qualify for any previous position, so why not just move everyone up a rank and make him ten? Were the tattoos that much of a pain?

The ranks didn't make much sense to me, the ranking didn't even take ability into account!

Why'd we bother getting a shoddy replacement rather than just leaving it empty if something like our numbers was too much of a hassle?

It was then I dreaded the Spiritual Pressures I felt coming this way, one being very familiar...

I made no secret about how bothered I was, looking at where I sensed them and sighing. "So he really is going for a honeypot ploy..."

"Huh? You're still going on about that creepy conspiracy theory? Jeez, you need help you know that!?" Emilou and Rose shut up and paid attention to the stairwell as they heard two pairs of footsteps walk up them. Harribel wasn't surprised at all, her skill with Pesquisa being that good.

As the door opened it revealed Tōsen, Captain of the paperboy division and Orihime Inoue. "Under orders from Lord Aizen the prisoner has been placed in your care."

I closed my eyes and held back from sighing as those two fools exploded.

But orders were orders, and so she ended up staying.

Aizen's orders were rather clear. She was to be kept on our floor and not be busy with anything that the Fraccion were doing, and was not to be harmed either, or rather, any further.

"Well...I suppose she's quite lucky hm?" She stayed silent as I talked. "I for one don't plan to delay my pleasure for her."

"What the hell! You're gonna let her stand there like a creep and watch!" Emilou shouted as she petulantly hit the wall with her fist and broke the tiles, making Orihime cower and cover her head.

"You want her to join?" I asked.

"Hell no! You damn pervert!"

"Oh my, being rebuffed by the two of you is serious...but there's four of us." I smugly smiled at them from behind my sleeve.

"No Sung-Sun." Didn't hold back my sigh this time.

"Well... I'm not going to stop my habits just for her." I warned.

Orihime awkwardly picked a corner of the bed to sleep in, something that she got away with since the bed was larger than your average room, but I hated having to try so hard to make Emilou forget she was there.

It had been a whole day since she had been adbucted, and she was proving to be made of sterner stuff.

Harribel was stoic as always, Rose and Emilou were as gruff and temperamental as ever, if not more so, and I was Cyan Sung-Sun. Yet still she initiated conversations with us, still trying to talk even after being rebuffed, it was impressive.

I hadn't really rebuffed her so far, but she didn't make a habit of talking to me.

Thankfully she knew not to talk in the bathroom, which was good considering she barged in on us. Having gotten my own over and done with I walked towards Harribel, determined to pamper her. Something she suffered through quietly after I spent so long insisting about it. As I softly ran the loofah over her body I admired it for I could find no fault in it and it belonged to a woman with a heart of gold.

After that I felt like doing something I didn't do so much anymore and paint, it could be anything as long as it had her. I even felt bold enough to do my own version of the Last Supper, I think we all knew who Judas was. But perhaps I should be smart and make it Gin? Perhaps swap Jesus out with Aizen? I shelved that idea only to end up dismissing it entirely.

Gleaming grass with shining red tips, along with shining white walls that reflected the light of the sun. I painted a little town reminiscent of Las Noches, a fortress and palace in one, but the most important bit was the tallest structure that had a missing wall that let us see inside.

"Uh-umm...what are you drawing there?"

"It's my inner world."

"What?"

"All beings with a Zanpakutō have one, it's the closest you can get to reaching your soul I think. Especially for an Arrancar. Nobody bothered to tell you this, but a Shinigamis Zanpakutō is like a sibling, but ours is just us."

"Wow...and yours is really like that?"

"Yes." I finally added the centerpiece of the painting.

"Who's that?"

"Harribel of course." I moved on to draw those in the court.

"Does she really appear in your inner world too?"

"No, but I can paint of it."

"So those people you're painting right now, are they..." She went quiet as I added my distinctive olive hair onto the character.

I leaned back into the stunned Orihime to see if I did a good job.

Upon feeling sadness that this would never happen, but also complete that I had seen this at all I decided I did a great job and went about hanging it above the bed.

Upon having done so I fell back on the bed and stared at it.

It was a painting of Harribel in my inner world sitting on the throne as we all knelt before her. Me and my friends along with my manifested Zanpakutō and Orihime.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

We opened up the meeting room, pushing open doors that were twice the size of Nnoitra, who walked quietly beside us. Every Espada was here except Luppi, who was always barking up my tree.

If only he had a gag.

As we walked towards a decently sized table, that _wasn't_ round someone began to talk. "Looks like we have intruders." Nnoitra spoke.

"How do you know that?" Baraggan asked.

"The 22nd underground passageway has just collapsed." Zommari said.

"The 22nd? That's not much of a threat, it's pretty far from here." Leave it to Baraggan to know that.

"It's too bad really, would have been more interesting if they broke into the throne room instead." Szayelaporro said.

"Kehehha! Oh that would have been cool." Nnoitra put his hands behind his head after his manic and high pitched laugh.

"Ah shut up, I'm tired as hell, let's have some piece and quiet around here." Starkk of course.

"Those are fighting words dog man." I warned as I sat in between Harribel and Emilou. Emilou having sat closest to Aaroniero Arruruerie as Mila Rose sat in between Nnoitra and Harribel.

He didn't bother talking back, knowing I would only agitate him if I continued, instead we all listened as three pairs of footsteps got closer. Aizen, Gin, and Tōsen. Those last two nobody in the room cared for, except for me. I still disliked the man for possibly being a lech.

"Good morning, my dear Espada, it seems we're under attack. Before we talk about that let's have some tea first." Aizen greeted as he sat down.

Hmph. Dear Espada hm? The fact he said that despite the table being so small and only ending, or beginning from his seat at the table wasn't lost on any of us except for Yammy. Even Grimmjow and Nnoitra had picked up on that. But we ignored the Gin and Tōsen as well as the Arrancar that came in with tea sets. I, as the only person who didn't like tea was given a bitter sweet drink with ice in it, never let it be said that Aizen wasn't a gentleman.

"So does everybody have a cup of tea now?" He continued. "Good. Please listen carefully to what I have to say. Begin the presentation Kaname."

"Sir." Tōsen pulled a lever in the side of the wall, which revealed a hole in the middle of the table that projected surveillance footage.

"There are four intruders trying to break in. Uryu Ishida, Yasotora Sado, Tatsuki Arisawa and Ichigo Kurosaki." Grimmjow reacted to that last name.

Everyone examined them as I just sat back and drank. "You mean these- _are our enemies?_ " The distinctive dual tones of Aaroniero Arruruerie rang out.

"Ridiculous, when you said we were under attack I assumed it was some kind of army. They're just a bunch of kids." Baraggan said.

"I don't see what all the fuss is all about, where's the danger?" Granz spoke confidently.

"No godamn cat to bail you out of this one you snot nosed punk." I was surprised by Emilou's bitterness, as was Mila.

"Shouldn't you hunt her down then rather the the kid she saved?" She pointed out.

"I wouldn't underestimate these so called 'kids'. Others have made the same mistake, they're humans who were once labelled Ryoka, some time ago four of them broke into the Soul Society and successfully took on the Thirteen Court guard squads."

"Is that so? That means one of them is missing, where's the fourth warrior?" Zommari pointed out.

"That would be Orihime Inoue." Ulquiorra dryly responded.

"Aw, so they've come to save their friend have they? Why not let them try? They look weak as hell." Nnoitra jeered.

"I agree, they couldn't even handle Grimmjow." He chuckled at my response, which made me sigh internally. I wasn't exactly getting the desired reaction from him, but I think it was fine. He'd fall in line when there was no one above us. That, or I'd get Granz to brainwash him.

"Stop getting carried away Cyan." I straightened as I heard Harribel talk. "Have you been listening at all Nnoitra? Lord Aizen warned us not to underestimate them."

"Yes ma'am." I bowed my head in apology.

"Why don't you listen to your subordinate Harribel? You don't have to be worried about these little brats, are you actually scared?" Nnoitra's reply got a violent reaction from all three of us until Grimmjow stood up and walked off.

"Where are you going Grimmjow?" Tōsen asked.

"I'm going to kill them, you have to exterminate pests the moment they infest your home."

"Lord Aizen hasn't given such an order yet, sit down Grimmjow."

"Hey! It's perfectly clear what he wants done, I'm gonna remove these intruders."

"Grimmjow."

He turned around to look at Aizen. "Yes?"

"I appreciate your intentions and your enthusiasm, but I'm not done speaking yet. Could you return to your seat for now?" There wasn't a response to Aizen's kind request. "Well? I can't make out your answer, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez."

That was when Grimmjow started having trouble breathing, unable to even speak, his body started to hunch forward as his eyes shot wide open. Even before he started to sweat and collapse to his knees it was obvious what was happening. Those symptoms were something anyone strong enough could cause by exerting their Spiritual Pressure onto another person.

And I felt none of it, not Nnoitra, not Zommari, not even Yammy felt it.

To bring all that pressure onto a single person alone displayed immense control.

As Grimmjow sat there and panted Aizen continued talking. "Good, I see you understand. Members of the Espada as I pointed out to you, we have four enemies. It's unwise to underestimate mate them, but there's no need to become overwrought either, all of you are to return to your quarters and behave as if everything were normal. Don't be impatient, just sit and wait for the enemy to come to us, and don't be concerned, regardless of the situation as long as you remain calm and stay with me they are no match for us. We're unstoppable."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"I confess I'm overwrought."

"What's the problem Sung-Sun?" Rose looked at me out the corner of her eye.

"Well, I can sense the intruders from over here, but one of them seems to be missing..."

"Are you going to investigate?" I nodded at Harribel. "I'll allow it as long as you promise to not do anything too extreme."

"I promise Lady Harribel." I walked away from them as the doors opened, showing Orihime in our room.

"Hey girlie, your friends have come knocking."

"What?" Orihime turned to Emilou.

"Yeah, they're all comin' here to save your ass cause your weak as shit!"

"Wait!" She ran towards me, absolutely terrified. "What are you going to do!?"

"Just a bit of course correction. It's not like it'll matter if I stay anyway, just like it wouldn't matter if I hadn't killed your brother. It's Rukia's destiny to die to Aaroniero just like it was his to die that night in his car." I turned away from her and kept walking despite her protests.

As I casually made my way towards the one I had trouble sensing I ended up meeting Nnoitra, who clearly went out of his way to find me.

"Hey, how's the new pet treating you?"

"Better than you." I closed my eyes so I could ignore his smirking visage. "Still a pain, but an acceptable one."

"Oh? No lurid tales to tell me? After Ulquiorra showed us what you did to her I expected a bit more."

He looked curious enough, so I decided to indulge him. "She's braver than Grimmjow, so-"

"Heh, that's not saying much coming from you, you think a pet rock is better than he is! But are you really telling me she's more daring than that wild mutt?"

"Yes I am. Every one else would agree with me, even Baraggan would."

"I see...well I'm more curious as to how she handles."

I ignored how vulgar he was, since my hands were tied in how much I could get away with wrecking him I couldn't beat that out of him. Truth be told I think it's impossible to change him. "Like a child, how do you expect?"

"Well you're resolving that I trust? On second thought..." His eye squinted in suspicion. "Why are you here?"

I smiled behind my sleeve as I looked him in the eye. "Nnoitra, you like fighting right? Well I'm tracking one of the invaders and she's proving pretty hard to track. Interested?"

The smile stretching across his face and a brief chuckle told me all I need to know. And so we ran from that point on to find her, the woman who kept destroying my ability.

As we finally got close to her I turned the corner using Sonido to get behind her. As she stood there unaware of my presence I decided to brush my hair, the strands touching her face. I stood there amused as she spun around to face me.

"Who are-" I watched her eyes fly open as she looked at me.

"Hello Tatsuki, I'm Cyan Sung-Sun. I trust you recognise me?"

She was silent, sweat beginning to pour from her forehead until she got her guts back. "Yeah...I remember you all right. You traumatized my childhood friend!"

"Hmhm...and let's not forget the other one." I leered at her.

"What do you mean!? Are you really connected to Orihime! What did you do to her!" Her face twisted in pure anger as I decided to examine her rather than talk. I payed close attention to her steel tipped boots and spiked caestus before looking at her tight formfitting jeans and shirt. "If you're not gonna tell me...then I'll just make you talk!" She exploded into action, a flurry of kicks and punches aimed at me, each strike coming out as fast as if Captain Soifon had done it. I could feel her anger from here, as someone who fought for the sake of two friends I damaged can imagine that she was putting everything on the line with this, but even then I smoothly dodged each one.

"What admirable spirit...but I'm not the one you're fighting girl." I ignored her generic response and jumped backwards, only to see she had stopped attacking completely, so as I arched through the air I kicked my leg out as pink Bala fired from my foot and went for her face only to see her smack it away in time with her caestus, exploding the wall she smacked it into. "I'm surprised, you have some interesting tricks girl. Though not a single one that can help you against me, so it is a good thing for you that I'm more interested in Kurosaki at the moment rather than you."

"I'm not letting that happen! You think I'm just gonna let you walk away?!"

"You don't have a choice." I narrowed my eyes at her as chuckling resounded across the room, as she spun to face the smashed wall I turned around and left ignoring Tatsuki's shouts as Nnoitra finally showed.

With this much time on my hands I could end up "accidentally" running into Ichigo on my way back. I had no doubt that Harribel was keeping a close eye on me with her Pesquisa, but I was fairly sure I could get away with it.

Especially since the paths of Las Noches could change from time to time. I had no idea if it was happening to me but I hoped so.

Either way I was getting closer to him, the sounds of my new high heeled shoes becoming an ominous warning only for me to stop in my tracks momentarily.

The Ninth Espada, Aaroniero Arruruerie had just killed Rukia Kuchiki only to end up dying himself.

I got back to walking and as I rounded the corner I heard him. "Rukia..."

I looked down at him. "You sensed her but not me? You're pitiful indeed..."

He turned to me as I lowered my sleeve and showed my face, his own a wide eyed and sweaty mess.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

8200 words. Nice.

Looks like I have a lot of explaining to do huh? Well first...It was fairly easy to write this once I saw the episodes but I got too sick to upload.

I'm going to explain the important stuff now, but I would like to say that if any of you are dissatisfied with character interactions I believe I'm going to solve them next chapter.

So firstly...I hadn't planned any of this believe it or not, both Orihime and Grimmjow were spontaneous, well maybe not Orihime. That idea suddenly came to me a few chapters ago, I had just teased it at the very end of the last chapter, I even mentioned that I was going to do her dirty in one of these Post Script sections when I was replying to a bloodthirsty reviewer. And no, I don't hate Orihime, she really does just get traumatized in every fanfiction.

Also, Cyan Sung-Sun's thoughts on Grimmjow mirror my own, I thought about Cyan being disappointed in Ichigo because he got beat by Grimmjow but didn't bother with that, I also thought about an interaction with him then and there but ultimately decided not to.

And as for Grimmjow trying to release his Zanpakutō without arms he was about to do it with just one in canon, which is weird considering the wiki states both are used. Perhaps he could get away with using the stump, or maybe the method of release changes depending on the state of your body. You also didn't see Tatsuki or Chad till the end because they were training, but not with the same person.

As for that bath scene, I put it in to display the upset Orihime is going to cause to the social dynamic. I can't tell if I'm being too dramatic, but luckily I have three other characters to cancel that out. Apart from all that this chapter was really easy to write, practically did it in a few days, but again, too sick to upload it edit.

I'm not sure of the chapters quality, I just know I'll procrastinate on uploading it if I don't do it right now in the dead of night. Now to reply to your reviews.

 **ANTEX**!...Forgot about those rankings...oops. Well you'll definitely get them next chapter! And as for the parasite bit she's talking about C.N. Guy who possessed her at the start, she's going to put his consciousness into Quimera Parca and let him run wild.

 **SAM006**! Bet I put a spin on that last short bit with those three didn't I?! Glad I'm writing the surroundings well too, It's a concern of mine but now I'm worrying I'm going a bit too fast. Glad skipping out on a training montage has some approval, I'm not too sure how I feel about it myself, I'm kinda put off by surprise power ups unless written well.

 **RUIMASK**! I've been looking for it but I can't find the part where Sung-Sun loses an organ. I think I put that part in with Szayel because of this review actually, good thing I worried I suppose, I'd like to think it turned out well but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.


	23. Twenty Third Tiz

"You...I know you..." His eyes trembled as he beheld me, which brought a smile to my face that I let him see.

"Indeed. It's been a long time Ichigo Kurosaki, but we both knew this was coming." I focused on just him, ignoring the child at his side.

"Yeah." He drew his Zanpakutō and got a grim determined look. "You know I've been conserving my energy for this, I didn't even take that former Espada too seriously because I knew what your ability was. Figured I'd alarm you, thought you had forgotten about me since I didn't feel it, but now I know better. You aren't using it at all. Why?"

"What makes you think I'll answer? The oversized Shikai or the dumb look on your face?" I affected a disinterested tone.

"No. I just reckon you'll answer, not every question I'm sure, but that's fine, I can just beat the answers out of you."

"You really want to know why hm?" I walked towards him, the tension rising with every step. "It's because I don't need too. You...your friends...none of you were necessary, you didn't need to get involved at all, so I'm going to beat all of you at your best to prove that."

"Oh yeah? I think I got involved _because_ of you!" He stepped in front of the child as I got closer.

"Hardly. You got involved because ghosts couldn't stop trying to eat your family. Your involvement was completely unnecessary, all you're going to do here is get hurt because none of you are fighters. The only one I'm draining is Uryu Ishida."

He gave me an ugly look. "So much for all of us at our best, but why is it just him? You got some kind of grudge?"

I stopped, stunned by his sheer stupidity. "He's a Quincy you tool, he _exists_ to be drained." I shook my head and finally covered my face with a sleeve. "More proof that nobody needs you. I take it I don't have to ask why someone with my ability would want a Quincy?"

He regarded me with weary confusion. "Just him? Not me or the rest? No offense to Uryu but we're all stronger than him."

I sighed. "I have pride you know? Using it on you would be like using it on an Unseated Officer, or some babe stuck in the Soul Reaper Academy. I am not reliant upon the help of my inferiors. Uryu is different because it's his purpose, what he lives for, you're just a clueless boy in over his head."

"Oh yeah? What changed? You were pretty eager to bite down on me before."

"How many times must I say it? Using my power on you is like making scaffolding of meat, like making food from dirt." I glared at him, fed up with his nonsense. "The three of you are useless, we only have need for Orihime and Uryu."

"It doesn't matter if you think we're necessary, we came for our friend!" He struck at me, a cleaver as wide and tall as my body careening towards my face. I blocked it with my wrist, my clothes still immaculate.

"And now look at what happened. Your friend is dead now, and the other one is going to be too."

He dragged the blade down and launched himself backwards as he directed an infuriated look at me. "What do you mean?! Rukia is alive! Where do you get off threatening my friends!"

"Someone so talentless at sensing shouldn't tell me what's happening. As your superior you're supposed to sit there and take your lashes, number one being the fact you killed your friend." Nel looked up at him with..."Are you crying Nel?" Ichigo covered her up with his leg and glared at me.

"You leave her alone! And how the hell do you know her?"

"Hm...perhaps you're right, there's nothing there I should talk about." He was surprised and confused but I carried on. "But you and your friends didn't need to be involved here, so quit being angry that they died." I ignored his gritted teeth. "You're our property, and you will be grateful for whatever purpose we assign you or you will bleed until you understand. I don't mind being cruel for you to understand her divinity." Confusion once again eased his anger. "Uryu and Orihime are the only ones we have a use for. The rest of you can leave or go to hell."

"That's not happening. Now I'm going to ask once again. What do you mean _they_ are dead?" His serious tone didn't bother me.

I walked towards him again. "I mean Tatsuki Arisawa, not that I'm surprised you don't know. And as for where I get off on threatening them it's because it's for their own good, Orihime would have just wasted away in the Living World."

"What?"

"I kidnapped her after killing her brother."

" _What?_ I had killed him! I fought him after he tried killing my friends! And you're saying you-"

"Killed him the same night your mother died." I interrupted. "All that's left is the rest of her deadbeat family that I'll kill eventually and you tots. Your energy would be best used serving us, what do you think boy? Szayel can solve that pitiful lifespan of yours by subjecting you to a proper Hollowfication process, just like with Orihime...oh don't look down at the floor. Do you like being seen as impotent?"

His hair shadowed his face before he bared his fangs and held his sword out in front of him. "Bankai!"

"So you still wish to take her from us? I'm hardly in the wrong for granting you and your friends a new destiny, a duty like this is something to celebrate." My attempts to enlighten him only served to enrage him, as evidenced by the Masked form of Ichigo rising above me. "To be so violent...it's fitting you have two faces, or have you never looked in a mirror before?"

My attempts to point out what I felt was hypocrisy didn't go over too well. _"_ _Getsuga Tenshō!"_ How could he be so mad about a Hollow Orihime when he had a mask on? All the changes would be for the positive frankly, unless her power mutated.

"A Bankai that condenses power and a Hollow Mask hm?" I stood there stoically and waited for it, before bracing my body against the tide of awesome power as he stood there and watched childhoods end. My palm and the pointed toe of my high heeled shoe deflecting the strike only to fail as the force pushed me backwards hard enough for the remaining shoe heel to cut into the floor. I tried pushing it to the side with my other arm, finally getting success from that.

As I started inching the attack to the side we crashed into the wall, Getsuga Tenshō going on to break through multiple rooms as dust and debris rained down on me.

"C'mon Nel. We gotta go..." Heavy laboured breaths came from him after that strike.

"Ichigo are you okay?" Nel, a child, ran up to him.

"Yeah. It's just that...my friends are stuck in a dangerous position." He slowly tried to stand up, a process that took seven seconds.

"Nel understands! Nel gets it! If anything happened to Nel's friends then she would be like this too! But ya gotta rest Ichigo. Why don't you sit there and we just talk for a while okay?" She asked with a big and goofy grin on her face.

"Well...maybe I can rest for a bit." He winced in either fatigue or guilt as he sat down again. "What'dya wanna talk about Nel?"

"Well what about the weather?"

"Pass."

"Well then uhh...why'd you attack her when she brought up Hollowfication, do you...hate Hollows Ichigo?"

He winced in real pain at seeing her fearful look and the oncoming waterworks. "No uh, it's just...not right that she talked about Orihime like that, like an object. That and the way I got my Hollow Mask hurt pretty bad, I'm not going to subject her to that sort of pain if I can help it."

"Oh, Nel doesn't remember it hurting at all, but Szayelaporro Granz is a sadist, so I get where you're coming from." She nodded twice, a thing to take note of due to her fat head.

"Oh that's good-wait, what'd you say?"

"She was talking about Szayelaporro Granz, he's the scientist of Las Noches, but he's just another Arrancar." She waved his curiosity away before they turned towards the rubble in disbelief.

"You are slow, even when getting up if you're resting this long." I began. "Or perhaps you put your best foot forward hm?"

"What...how?" His eyes were wide as he beheld me.

"I deflected it with my bare hands." I inspected myself, checking for clothing damage and finding some. "Now that's very disappointing."

"I...it can't..."

I moved towards him only for something to snap and for my balance to falter, the shoe I parried with having snapped. Leaning down I grabbed the important part and left the other one behind. I tucked the broken heel into my sleeve and fired a Bala at him, when he blocked it the sheer force threw him back and destroyed his guard, leaving him open for the next six Balas.

As his body broke through the thick wall of Las Noches I could see an explosion of sand fly into the air before seeing a new trail of sand shoot out of it that was faster than the rest hit the ground running.

"Nel! Are you alright!? Nel! Hold on!" He tried to look at me as I appeared right next to him only to fly upwards and smash into the ceiling of Las Noches so hard he left cracks in it, creating a wonderful backdrop as he fell, the darkness of Hueco Mundo seeping through the otherwise sunny canopy of Las Noches. As he fell down I lowered my leg and waited, wriggling my bare toes in the sand as I did so.

Falling to the ground I could see blood escaping his mouth before gravity wrecked his body again as the sand exploded under him. I ignored the unconscious Nel and whipped out the snapped heel as I gripped his hair with my toes and lifted him up. "You're slow. Even when falling. Which reminds me, you think Byakuya will be the first to die?" I stepped back, eyes wide as something was poked into my breast. "You have three seconds to move that."

"Never!" He obscenely panted, in pain. "Because a person as important as you-" I knocked his sword away with my foot but he got on a knee and continued to monologue, sword at his side. "Is the captain of the Espada! With a power like yours you're their leader!" His face held grim relief despite his battered body. "It's fitting that you're the one, it began with you and it'll end with you! The moment I defeat you this war is as good as over." He began gasping again.

I closed my eyes and moved my arms to cover my chin and torso. "Now I'm confused, I'm hardly a master strategist but something seems off with that logic." I looked down at his battered body and took in the sorry state of his panting and bleeding form, patches of skin having been destroyed where my Balas made direct hits. "You're really telling me the fools you brought along with you are good enough to take down everyone else? How does my loss exempt you from fighting the other Espada as you're implying? Even if you look strong we Arrancar have a sensor technique, Pesquisa, that lets us know just how weak you are. And then your most erroneous assumption..." I shifted my hand to cover my mouth and bought the other hand down to my right leg, as the hand parted the dress and revealed my inner thigh I grabbed his hair with my foot again to give him a better look.

There in bold...the number...

 **4**

"You're...the fourth?"

"I'm the Fourth Espada, Cyan Sung-Sun. There's also a cute meaning behind each Espada, an aspect of death, it's something done to mirror the symbolism of each Court Guard Squad. Ah yes, my own Aspect of Death is Famine."

"But...how? You're surrounded by the Espada! And with your power..."

I eased up on him and stopped pulling his hair. I pulled my Zanpakutō out of my sheath in a dramatic display while dropping the snapped heel and grasping it between my toes. "One to Four, those are the only numbers that matter, Eight and Nine being a potential exception. There's one number that matters most however, one person who has no superior in the world. That's why you anger me so much."

"Kugh!" I pulled my foot back, avoiding the blood spurting from his mouth, the snapped heel having pierced through his ribcage, probably splintering into pieces along the way or splitting his ribcage in two.

I didn't come here to kill him as evidenced by my lack of Killing Intent but I'd be lying if I said I cared if he somehow died from this.

"Absolutely pathetic. One stab and you already give up the ghost, you Shinigami...seems like Zommari has resigned himself to a life of taking out the trash." He crumbled over, falling face first into the sand. "This is proof you're not needed." I put my face on the back of his head and grinded his face into the sand. "She's focused on you, a mistake on my part. Now I need to get her eyes back on me." I glared down at Ichigo before walking away and monologuing. "This is what it means to be one of the four horsemen, victory is inevitable."

I continued plodding along until I heard the faint rustle of sand which made me turn around.

I could see Nel get up from within his black cloak and crawl towards him with tears in her eyes crying his name. Seems she recovered from her shock, or whatever that was.

In any case it was time to face the music. As I walked back to the palace we owned I wondered how to weasel my way out of this. Just saying Ichigo is still alive isn't going to cut it, I have to tell her he's obsolete now.

Wait...

What was I sensing?

Was he for real?

The building exploded as Nnoitra released his Zanpakutō.

I covered my face with my palm exasperated beyond all belief by him. That turned out to be another mistake. I was so wrapped up in Nnoitra's foolishness that I hadn't noticed a figure running towards Ichigo's fallen form.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"I promise Lady Harribel." Cyan walked away from them as the doors opened, showing Orihime sitting on the bed and gazing outside.

"Hey girlie, your friends have come knocking."

"What?" Orihime turned to Emilou.

"Yeah, they're all comin' here to save your ass cause your weak as shit!"

"Wait!" She ran past us and towards Cyan, absolutely terrified. "What are you going to do!?"

Sung-Sun coldly replied to her. "Just a bit of course correction. It's not like it'll matter if I stay anyway, just like it wouldn't matter if I hadn't killed your brother. It's Rukia's destiny to die to Aaroniero just like it was his to die that night in his car." She turned away from her and kept walking.

"Wait! Please! Don't kill them! I'll do anything just please don't!-"

The human wasn't prepared for Apacci to throw her to the floor by the neck. "God shut up! Does that mouth of yours ever stop moving! You just don't stop complaining do ya!?" She stomped right beside her head, leaning forward on her knee and making Orihime flinch and cover her face. "Maybe I'll correct that attitude of yours huh!"

Orihime squeaked as Mila stabbed her between the legs and left her sword there, pinning the girl there and leaving Harribel to glare at her for damaging the floor, but Mila was only paying attention to Orihime. "You know Emilou that ain't a bad idea, she's a pretty damn mouthy brat."

Emilou looked back at her with a grin. "You wanna bet that some interesting things come out of that mouth?" She leaned down and cupped the girls cheeks with her thumb and forefinger. "Hey, do you hate us huh?"

"You're right. That would be very interesting, well girl? What's you're answer?" Rose was looming over her.

"Yeah and that's what cupcake over here is! Man these humans are so pathetic they can't even answer a question!" She increased the pressure of her grip but Orihime didn't seem that affected, something must have changed within her. "Well? C'mon toots! You hate Sung-Sun? Maybe Harribel?"

"No." Orihime replied with a firm voice. "I...I don't hate any of you..."

"Hmph, I think she's saying it cause she's powerless, don't you?" Emilou grinned at Rose. "Knowing her though it might be because she's so spineless."

"I suppose we could find out right now." Mila gave Orihime a serious look. "You know that's a real problem right. You know who you work for now? Who you serve? It's unforgivable if you're too spinless to die for her sake don't you? You belong to her and she doesn't have the time to make sure you're not a screwup, you need to protect her from attacks and heal her if it comes down to it. You got that?" She stared her down until Orihime nodded. "If anyone thinks about hurting Harribel you kill them, got it?"

Orihime sullenly nodded.

"Yeah, you're her property now, which means!-"

"Lord Aizen has called for another meeting." Emilou was interrupted by a servant at the door.

"What? Already?!" The two of them looked to Harribel for an answer because...did all of them really go? Knowing Aizen that was a possibility so...

"Rose. Stay here and guard her, and while you're at it teach her a few things."

"Yes Ma'am." She watched as Emilou and Harribel departed. Ignoring the afterimage of Sonido and staring off into the distance. "You're her property you know? You and the rest of your friends too because I'm after everything." She glared at the girl out the corner of her eye. "Each Espada has a meaning to them, an Aspect of Death. Mine is War." She faced the girl and put her boot on her lower ribcage. "In the end all of you will bow before us. That's right, even the Human World will be conquered, everyone and their dog is going to know her, and we got some pretty big ideas for it. But you don't know why do you?"

She would have said more but the side of the room exploded, revealing Renji Abarai and Uryu Ishida standing outside.

"Well Renji, I'd say that played out splendidly don't you?"

"Hmph, don't flatter yourself so much. We still gotta get through her to get to your friend."

"Hmph." Uryu fired an arrow at Mila. "That's not going to be a problem." His eyes narrowed as his opponent didn't dodge, didn't even bother blocking and just took the hit head on.

"You were saying?" Renji smugly said. He was tense though, he knew just how strong Uryu actually was, but even if it seemed impossible to beat her that wouldn't stop them.

That was what their bravado was for. They might not win, but that wasn't a good enough reason to not try at all.

Mila for her part simply drew her sword and kicked Orihime to the side, seemingly giving up on keeping her prisoner in exchange for a fight.

The artificial light shone down on Mila Rose, seeming to highlight the number on the back of her hand.

 **4**

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"I didn't believe anyone could be so incompetent before but...here we are." I walked towards Nnoitra, who had released his Zanpakutō, Santa Teresa while Tatsuki was standing there without a scratch on her. "Grimmjow and you honestly deserve this, I had no idea Christmas came early but I'm quite happy with my presents, your comeuppance."

He had a manic look on his face, something emphasized by the changes in his body like crescent shaped rock going through his head and the four arms covered in bones. His Zanpakutō had split up into four separate pieces, giving him a scythe in each hand to strike with. It hinted at what he was, his true capabilities as befits us Arrancar. The split Zanpakutō held in newly grown arms and the 'headpiece' were telling of his newfound capability if you thought about it.

"You can be quiet! I'll be through with her in a few minutes."

I lowered my sleeve and gave everyone a smug little smile. "Maybe you should handle my leftovers instead." He turned to me and growled. "It's in your league." His weapons were rattling. "And she's ever so excited to meet you."

"Eh?" His face was frozen in shock. "What the hell are you talking about? There aren't many women I'm cursed with knowing."

"Why don't you go find out? She's excited to see you." I quit smiling as I stood next to him and looked at Tatsuki.

"You...you think.you can boss me around!? You think you're all that?! A difference in just one number isn't worth that much!"

"Really? I think you offed her because she was higher ranked than you? Or was it because she was bossing you around like I am?" I cocked my hip, holding back a sigh at his attitude.

"No...it can't be..." His eye was shaking until he looked over and squinted at Ichigo, trying to look for that distinctive head of hair before finding something else. "Huh? It's your new pet." We turned to each other in confusion. "What's she doing here?"

I used Pesquisa since his only worked on a single person. "It seems her bratty friends broke her out and are currently fighting Mila, Emilou and Her Majesty seem to be meeting with Aizen."

"Huh...she's not stopping, bold little runt isn't she?"

"She's tried to make friends with Emilou, I guess it's cause they both have thick skulls."

He reared his head back and gave a sharp laugh before walking towards Orihime, making the distant figure stop in her tracks. "Maybe I'll let her heal him so I can rip him apart in front of her! Or maybe I'll dangle him just out of reach while kicking Nel around. Who knows..."

I faced my would be opponent. "I insult the man for failing to kill you, but to fail to scratch you is truly stunning, it makes sense he'd lose the fight considering your power however, but to beat him so soundly is incredible. Something that can't be chalked down to some incompetence on his end, yes, I've realized what your power is Tatsuki Arisawa." I took one last careful look at her.

Formfitting jeans and a shirt with steel tipped boots and spiked knuckle dusters.

Pathetic. Suicidal. Amateurish.

But there must be something there. Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihouin were there to mentor her. But there was a clue however, the colour of those knuckle dusters. At first I thought they really were knuckle dusters but the pure shade of white they were hinted at their material.

Sekkiseki stone.

"Oh yeah?" She grit out with clenched fists.

"Your power...is so basic that even Gillians discard it. But you took that power to its natural end just like Aaroniero Arruruerie did. He took eating to its end where you took acidity to its end. It's such an obscure power that I had to be sure of it, but I got many hints. The first clue came when you entered Las Noches. However... it's hard to tell where your achievements begin and where the blacksmiths ends. Making knuckles out of Spirit Repelling Stone? It's a frightening weapon if I must be honest."

It wasn't the only reason he lost though, Nnoitra was about as fast as the Ninth Espada. I'd say Grimmjow was twice as fast as Nnoitra and I was better in every way than Grimmjow, so she couldn't beat me.

I doubt I was biased when I compared myself to Grimmjow.

"You noticed huh? Yeah, only me and Orihime could wear it, Chad saw no use for it but it won't cancel out my power, something you apparently figured out."

I brushed my hair back as I told her. "My power is a 'poison' that travels through the air and takes Spirit Energy, of course it lets me keep track of anyone it's in as a side effect. But you kept destroying it." I narrowed my eyes at her. "I could only find you through Pesquisa, a nerve detection technique, all the other hints came when we met and then you beat Nnoitra."

"Heh. Frightened? That guy was just one rank below you and I'm here. Did you think you could get away with all you've done!" She became confident, even going so far as to smirk at me.

"That. That's the final clue. You don't even know do you? Nnoitra had an unusually tough Hierro and you didn't even notice it despite all his boasting. The fact you beat him says it all. But there's nothing to fear." I adopted a fighting stance. "You're just a watered down version of Baraggan. Come girl, you'll pay for comparing me to that vulgar fool."

She rushed at me with a fist held out in front of her and no guard, I used Sonido to get right in her face and went to hit her only for her to barely react and move her head out the way. Her outstretched fist elbowed me in the side of the head, followed up by a knee in the stomach, making me gasp. I shoved the handle of my sheathed sword into her in retaliation and tried to bowl her over. I managed to throw her to the ground, and immediately went to smash my knee into her only for her to somehow grab it and strike my knee, stabbing right through it.

I winced in pain, my Hierro having melted in her presence but I recovered and punched a Bala into her side, sending her away and letting me recover. "You're fast girl." We stood and faced each other.

"And you're going to be a real pain." We sized up each others wounds, her side revealing torn threads and a brutal burn and my regenerated body. She grimaced at it before I closed in and struck her, getting into an exchange of blows where _I wasn't winning._

How?

She was faster than Ichigo! Each strike was slapped away and each attempted grab would lead to a quick counter, but that was fine. As I hit her in the kidney she kneed me in the stomach and punched my shoulder, puncturing it as I fired a Bala into her kidney. I tried to spin kick her as we broke away but she guarded it. "Ugh, you're actually a bit familiar, that's twice now you've pretended to be weaker than you are. How fitting that you'd learn from a woman who has a history with me, how is Soifon by the way?"

"She's just fine." She replied with a stoic face. "I suppose she won't like me finishing her job for her, but that's too bad. I'm going to pay you back for all you've done to us."

"You think you can win?" For a brief instant she vanished and appeared right in front of me, fist already reaching for my face, I had no idea how a human learned Shunpo but I dodged it and jabbed her in the throat before kicking her side and backing away. "I think I love speeches, because I'm tempted to explain what just happened to you." Her confused look remained despite the pain and my smug tone. "Your power makes you totally unaware of what just happened, but I just exerted my Spiritual Pressure. I got serious. I don't like taking hits to the head, especially from a power like yours, you may melt through my Hollow Mask entirely." I brushed a hand through my hair and showcased the pinky sized remnants. "You're an excellent specimen Tatsuki, but in the end you're just a human girl, give up while you still can." She looked at me with narrowed eyes before raising her fists, making me sigh.

She charged at me from the front again as the both of us became blinded by the sphere of bright pink energy to our sides.

Tatsuki naturally got distracted by Nel regaining her form, allowing me to get closer and pelt her with Balas, giving her light burns.

She was pissed, something made far worse by the light burn marks on her face. "That was cheap." She grit out.

"Talking isn't a free action sweetie, but I suppose I can indulge in it now if you like. I assume you're spiritually deaf so I'll tell you that Nel done that." I put a hand on my hip as I chatted our ears off. "From the moment she came in here I determined she was an Espada of some kind, not an Arrancar since she's more than a match for Zommari, the Seventh Espada. In fact she seems just a bit tougher than Nnoitra."

"How's a sweet little girl like her end up as an Arrancar? It can't be that she's tricking us."

"As I understand she used to be the only female Espada before _we_ came along. Grimmjow and Nnoitra are under the delusion women can't fight, I wouldn't be surprised if even some rank and file Arrancar thought the same things. Canon fodder don't know there place, those two still labor under the delusion that they'll actually be somebody. It's sad and laughable. As for why Nel seems to have become a powerless child I couldn't tell you why definitively, but there's a reason I don't want you touching my Mask. Cracks aren't a feature."

"I see-wait what the hell?! Are you telling me the Espada tried to kill her?! Why are you working with them?! Aizen betrayed the Soul Society and everyone who looked up to him and he's just standing by as the Espada backstab each other? Why are you working for them!?" She was confused and outraged, understandably.

"You misunderstand me, I don't care for the other Espada and their designs bar the only one who can hurt me. You misunderstand Hollows, Nel was a fool not to expect betrayal. We eat souls to fulfill a hole in our hearts but most end up becoming power hungry, the reason Aizen leads us is because he understands the nature of power and fear. He understands the chaotic nature of our lives on top of having the ability to manipulate anyone. A psychological master that knows exactly how people work. Knowing this I couldn't possibly be loyal to him."

"Then why? Is it because you're surrounded by strong people?" She had a lost, pained expression on her face and let her guard down in...confusion?

"Because I love another Espada." I covered my face again.

"Wha?!"

"I told you most of them are power hungry, becoming your typical meatheaded man, but some like the Primera Espada hunger for simple things, like a friend."

"So you-?"

"No. Coyote Starrk is a complete loser, if he cared at all about himself he'd be here and Nel would still be an Espada. As it is he's so pathetic his soul has literally divided itself to fix the problem. To give him a reason to live or to restore his self-preservation instincts, I don't know which but his loneliness is so crippling that it carried over when he died and actually empowered him. No, the one I love is someone who saved me. Help is a foreign concept to every Hollow, even family members aren't exempt from this. Do you know what it means for her to have done that in a world of hostility? To save me, not to use me, but to _save_ me."

The violent clash between Nel and Nnoitra was reaching a crescendo to make up for our calm, the outcome was favouring Nel heavily, Nnoitra having revealed an extra two arms and scythes already only to graze her at worst with his trick. Nel was clearly his superior even if he refused to recognise it, she had been cutting through his Hierro in her base form, nevermind when she released her Zanpakutō and took on her true form, that of a centaur.

Yes...this too was proceeding according to my desires. All my poison was concentrated on Nnoitra, not to kill him but because he was going to die and I couldn't care to change it. Looking at him now it was obvious to see he was never going to accept our rule, so why help him?

"But...Aizen is gonna hurt the two of you, just like he stabbed his Lieutenant! Why aren't you running away or something, why are you throwing yourselves at his enemies?"

"Why do you think the three of them betrayed the other ten court guard squads? Because they're confident enough to kill all of them in direct combat. The moment you realise that you understand the Arrancar are a pony show he arranged to satisfy his god complex and to get used to ruling whatever he'll conquer. He has all the makings of a great Hollow which is why he commands an army like us." Her bizarre sympathy affected me enough that I gave her a soft, sad little look. "The frank truth is if he was honest and didn't hide his power he might be Head Captain, certainly the best candidate for it, if given the chance to bloom it would be impossible to stop him. Yes, even by my standards he is too ambitious and I have been named after a horseman of the apocalypse. I who wish to instill a zealous, religious love for Harribel in all the races across the worlds pale in comparison."

T'would be a humorous remark if only I were the pale rider.

"That last bit was real creepy and I still don't know why you're sticking your neck out for this guy."

"Because everyone who's against us must die." She had a look of disbelief. "When all our opponents are broken we shall move to spread her name across the globe, for who could stop us? No one. Mountain ranges will be turned into temples and Mount Rushmore will be replaced by our likeness as the Tajh Mahal will have sculptures of our weapons hanging down from its spires, and for each time Humanity rejects her a country will be obliterated. I shall glass the Middle East the moment it happens and take life indiscriminately, how else will they meet their saviour and liberator if not in death?"

She was taken aback by my proclamation, shaking and getting pale.

"You...you sick freak! H-how can you say any of that with a straight face? And you said Aizen's ambitions were worse?!"

"And I am right, I would not steal what belonged to Harribel. And even if you're a heretic that refuses her you'll still find I'm right, whatever Aizen would do to satisfy himself would be worse than our methods."

"You just said you'd glass a country!"

"Yes, and Aizen is capable, and willing to do far worse. How do you think Arrancar were made in the first place? He experimented upon his so called friends and peers, but at a certain point there was simply no need for it but he kept doing it for fun, and yet you want that power hungry man to be God?"

"Well at least he won't destroy a country!"

"No, he'd start changing the shape of them after the destruction got boring because you are nothing but toys to him. The problem with our rule is that we are too passionate, as we ought be. Thus, for small offenses I, Famine, or Violence shall appear and punish the town instead. Farmland cratered, water sources melted under the heat of my techniques, those are the punishments I shall give as I starve both the body and soul for sustenance. Violence will live up to her name as well and beat the heretic with whatever icons they defiled before treating the town like a sandcastle. For heinous offenses to Her Majesty I will strike the ocean and create a tsunami, Violence will turn herself into an earthquake."

"There's no way you could do that!" She spat out. "I'll stop you before that happens, and even if I can't the Soul Society's not gonna just sit there!"

"Las Noches is supposedly the size of California, now ask yourself this; why _can't_ she release her Zanpakutō?" Though she didn't understand she looked appropriately scared. "Espadas ranked fourth and upwards can't release inside Las Noches because we'd destroy it if we did. All it takes is to release our true forms on the Earth and all the sins will be washed away, burnt, purified. Who could stop us? Trap us? Not even the Twelfth Division could do it, and after our war with the Soul Society they will be in no condition to even look at the Human World. If my plan was supposedly impossible then your real enemy was the Soul Society all along for allowing Hollows into the Human World, most Hollows end up escaping a Shinigami mid-fight through a Garganta, they have no hope of catching me if I use Descorrer. This is not a war for humans." She began shaking uncontrollably at that, her pale face staring at me with wide eyes. "Ask yourself what earned the love of cruel, hollow, heartless beings like ourselves. She has restored my heart and filled it with love, how could I resist the urge to spread her name?"

She was silent after my speech so I surveyed the land and saw Nnoitra dying, I was too far away to hear his last words and doubted it'd be anything interesting. It seems Nel on her last legs after beating him along with her Reiatsu seeping out the crack in her mask.

But I was more interested in Ichigo and Orihime who were close enough to hear my declarations but Tatsuki came at me before I could get a good look.

I counter-charged her, going as fast as I could and bringing my palm down on her skull, marshalling my full might to kill her this time rather than play around.

She smacked aside my wrist and kneed me before smashing my face into the sand and went to punch a hole through my skull until multiple Bala into her stomach sent her flying, but Tatsuki quickly moved her arms and legs, sending Anken flying towards me.

Typical Second Squad maneuver, though how she tucked them away in her clothes was beyond me.

Jumping after her I deflected the Anken with my sword before sheathing it as the knives fell into the sand, the two of us drawing nearer.

As she went to kick me I tossed out a few Balas, a few of them smashing into her and flipping her over. As I kicked her she blocked it with her forearm, and then kicking out with the other leg she twisted her entire body to grab it between her legs and stopped blocking the leg, grabbing the foot instead and instantly stabbing me through the stomach with an Anken using her free hand before pulling it back and drawing three more Anken and throwing them into my collar.

Her newfound capabilities astounded me. But...her power was meaningless in the end.

I cut deep into her wrist and through her stomach before she suddenly moved my leg into the path of my own sword. Against a lesser opponent this would have worked but I was quick enough to react and stab her through the foot instead. Which had a horrific reaction.

Her red blood rained down on my ankle, melting it to the point my foot dropped off. Even her blood was acidic!

I didn't bat an eye as it fell to the ground instead deciding to use my other hand to fire Balas at her. Now that the surprise was wasted I had the upper hand but she still would have been laying into me had I flinched. Now with the upper hand bruises and cuts were quickly piling up before she let go of her grip, sending the both of us sliding through the air but I immediately jumped at her, sword extended to pierce.

She desperately tried to cancel my thrust by throwing more knives but I still pierced her shoulder, meaning the fight was pretty much over and done with. Now...for the flourish.

Stepping on her battered ribcage I jumped over her and brought my sword down on the other arm, she stiffly tried to dodge it only for her foot to fail her which meant...

Ichigo screamed to the heavens as my blade shone in the sun, her arm falling to the ground as blood decorated both the sand as she fell, screaming and clutching her stump as best as she could with a perforated shoulder. "As for why I'm not running from Aizen, Tatsuki...it's the same reason Ichigo is fighting him." I fell with her towards the furiously screaming Ichigo only for a last minute surprise.

From the earth arose Spiritual Pressure, enough to irritate my eyes and threaten me in other ways.

Ichigo stood tall and glared at me.

"That's enough Sung-Sun, I'm not gonna let you hurt my friends any longer. You're going to give Orihime up and we'll all go home."

"Really..." I muttered. As we hit the ground I tossed Tatsuki at him. "You're going to talk like that to me?!"

Ichigo caught her with an arm, cradling her as he passed her over to Orihime. "It's alright now Tatsuki, you don't have to fight anymore." Arisawa put up some meaningless protest or another, something I couldn't be bothered listening to as I marched over there.

"You heal only her arm Orihime."

"Hey! You think you can hurt people and tell them what to do? You already failed when you attacked my friends."

"You have done nothing but risk your 'friends' life by barging in here thinking your die hard attitude will somehow get you through a gauntlet of Thirteen Captain class opponents! You could barely beat Dordoni! Keeping your Bankai up for hours, fighting some of the strongest people in history all at the same time and you complain when it hurts?!"

"Well I ain't gonna let a bunch of murders do what they want just because they got numbers and knives. You people want to destroy my hometown for your own purposes, now who gave you the right to do that?" He gave me a tight smile.

"Harribel did."

"So what? You're friends mean more than mine? Tch, what am I saying, of course they do to you. Well you're in for a rude awakening, now on the matter of your friends I'm curious where they rank among the Espada, I haven't met them yet."

"You know they rank among the Espada yet you still persist in this? Humans are insane. Have you just not noticed that I regenerate?" I moved the new foot for effect. "Are you under the delusion you harmed me with your Getsuga Tenshō?"

He was silent, but then spouted something insane. "Well the plan hasn't changed. All I need to do is put down the strongest, and I'm going to guess that person is...Tier Harribel!"

"Are you sure about this?"

"You're damn right I'm sure!"

"No. I don't think you are." I swaggered over to him, slowly drawing my sword as I did so. "It's...Karin and...Yuzu, right?" He immediately grit his teeth. "Go ahead, I welcome the attempt. If you dare to harm her, if you dare to cut her, if you so much as dream of bruising her then I will repay the grievance you have caused me. We will kill your family in front of you like we have so many others. But first we'll kill your friends, starting with young Nel. She's ordered me to not kill you and your first instinct is to hurt her? Typical Hollow, you're absolutely disgusting."

"I'm a Visored not a Hollow you reactionary." I made eye contact with Neliel as I kicked her into Ichigo as hard as I could. "Nel!" As he abandoned his guard to catch her I went to run him through only for his instinct to kick in, letting him bring his sword down to barely knock my sword inches to the side. I still drew blood, but the cry of pain wasn't that of a man's. "NEL!"

A horrendous wail erupted from her as her foot was almost cut in two, her bone having been cut through. "That right there is why you're scum Ichigo Kurosaki. It was instinct to save yourself before her, and yet a selfish creature such as yourself would hurt Harribel?! You're a Hollow precisely because of that!"

"Gah!" He was buckling under the force of my hits, probably because he didn't have his Hollow Mask on but I didn't care.

I wanted him dead at this point.

So why was Grimmjow interrupting me?!

"Hey! Ichigo! How about you fight me instead?"

Ichigo and I broke away to stare at him. "Grimmjow...what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to kill you of course Ichigo! I don't want anyone else to do it but me! I'm gonna rip out your insides because of what you cost me!"

"And what about you Cyan? You did say that I'd have to fight multiple Espada at the same time." He gave me a cautious look, he was still willing to fight however.

"Quite frankly the two of you disgust me and I want the both of you dead...but that will leave me in no condition to go to war with the Shinigami. Not as long as Orihime is out in the open. Say goodbye Ichigo."

"Wait you can't just!-"

I caught Orihime with Sonido, glancing down at her as she shook in my grasp. "You've only restored her arm?"

"Yes..." She muttered.

Looking at Tatsuki I couldn't see her stir. It was good enough for me.

I felt like I couldn't check myself if I wanted her to serve us willingly, so I'd choose my words carefully so as to tempt her into willingly serving us.

Sadly I couldn't do the same for her friends tried to kill me for something I said or did. Clearly I'd have to leave them to Harribel if we wanted them alive since she got Emilou and Rose to not kill each other.

As I was bringing her back to Harribel's palace Ulquiorra began approaching me at high speeds on his way to the battle.

Afterimages of his pasty body rapidly got closer with bursts of sound each time.

"What happened?"

"Grimmjow is trying and probably failing to kill Ichigo Kurosaki, something I've allowed to happen so as to get back custody of Orihime." She turned away from him the moment he looked at her.

"I see. Lord Aizen has requested you for a meeting, so do not be tardy."

"Of course, while you're here would you mind holding onto this for me?" From my sleeve I pulled out a small black box.

"A Caja Negación? Why would you insist I carry it?" He looked at it for a second or two before grabbing it. "I am surprised you didn't give it to Harribel in the hopes that she would use it on one of your so called friends. It is utterly useless in my hands and will not see use."

"Precisely why I gave it to you, though that is a fantastic idea. Grimmjow is only going to last for so lets make ourselves scarce."

He stared at me for a few seconds. "I don't yet know what the meaning of this is, but I would hope whatever you're up to will not impede me in any way. If this Caja Negación is some petty attempt to inconvenience me the consequences will be dire."

"Of course not." We got out of each others hair even though that parting comment made me fairly angry.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Post Script. 9696 words.

Holy. Shit. Writing scenes after beating Ichigo was so godamn slow, I am so sorry. It didn't actually occur to me Orihime was getting out of that room to heal Ichigo till I was done stabbing him with a shoe. Kinda shows you how impromptu or ad-hoc this all is.

I feel pretty good about this chapter, biggest problem was how long it took to get out. I was concerned about my pacing at the end, I also think I went a bit heavy on speeches and fat paragraphs, I want to improve on this but I don't know how I could. Body language perhaps?

I've finished the epilogue for the Winter War though and I'm quite pleased with it, I've also been thinking about rewriting the story, or rather writing a separate version of it. (Since I've lost access to essentially every chapter you read so far.) One where "C.N" is bricked. I wanna rewrite it because I think my earlier chapters are god awful, that and some critics had a problem with it, I thought they were a minority opinion at first but then they became a bit more prominent. I guess I might've been living in a bubble. I still don't fully get why they have a problem with it but I suppose I'm coming around.

I suppose I'll answer your reviews now.

I'm still sorry this took so long.

 **Ahmed Maged!** Thank you! I hope I can keep entertaining, it's what I live for.

 **Antex!** Its oddly relieving to be able to do this again I must say, but no, she didn't poison him in the end, I want a measure of pride in her, whether that be her circumstances or her friends. I'd like to say she'd stubbornly stick with her friends rather than swap them just to prove _something_. One thing I wish I got off my chest though was that Sung-Sun was stealing Starrk's power.

I actually like Nnoitra quite a bit but I figured he'd be too slow to catch someone trained by Soifon and Yoruichi.

I'll keep this up, don't you worry. I'll finish this story if it's the last thing I'll do.

 **Ruimask!** Yeah, I really should have waited and put in a few more scenes where they interact with Orihime, hope I've kept it interesting for you, and you'll get your wish, I've already granted it even. Just be careful, I might end up killing some of your favourites, then again that kind of thing can be exciting can't it?

How's the pacing here? No man deserves a half hearted writer after all. But yeah, those two are in on it as well, I think the first draft of this story had Emilou start it all, and as a Futa at that. Thankfully I stopped the degeneracy since the bad jokes about horns would get...out of hand. But yeah, that was quickly wiped and Mila would instigate it all in a shower room. It would greatly upset Cyan in the process before she'd come around and stick with her for the long haul.

I think my worst jokes came from that time period, looking back I feel like I was being your typical hot blooded brat, glad I tempered myself when writing this...have I? I'd hope so. That part's a reason why I want to rewrite this story I think.

Now that I've got the reviews out the way how about this? An Omake. Been a while hasn't it?

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

 _In a world where Aizen prematurely betrays Harribel and her servants..._ "That is an interesting ability you have, but I must ask you to stop using it upon my subordinates."

I turned away from the balcony and faced the Head Captain. "What do you mean? Soifon has already innoculated herself to it."

"Something that irks you greatly I imagine. But I was referring to Shinigami in general, they'll need to grow stronger if they wish to stand against the enemies forces."

"Come now, you don't honestly believe that." I looked back and took in the view. The sun making the Soul Society's walls shine beautifully.

"No, but there are some vaguely promising Seated Officers in your poisonous grasp."

"Really? There are Seated Officers in there? Are you sure they're promising?"

"Perhaps not, but nobody is promising so early are they?"

I preened. "I suppose that's the problem when you look so sophisticated, everyone thinks you're a lady rather than a young maiden. Still, to be complimented over my age by the Captain Commander."

"So you've been reading reports you really shouldn't have, concerning, but you are an exception. You're forgetting how much work it took to raise your companions to a similar level to you, which is why I'd hope you would stop sapping the strength of the students." He sounded calm as ever despite the serious topics.

"Well when you ask like that how could I refuse?"

"Thank you. They were eating leftovers just to replenish Spirit Energy, if it went on any longer they might have tried to eat Captain Komomura." He moved to stand beside me. "I find it strange that you would request to stay in a place so open, surely you've seen the price on your head, and you are surrounded by the enemy. Don't you think the Stealth Force is keeping it's eyes on you?"

"...What my lessers think and try is below me. I care only for one thing."

"That zeal may get you in trouble one day young lady, I think she would be quite upset if such a thing were to happen." He was remarkably casual for such statements, his eyes closed and his guard gone.

"Since I've met her up until now I have been struggling to express my feelings for her, how on earth can I not be restless until I have done so? How can I rest until she knows my feelings?"

He looked incredibly bothered by that, sighing and opening his eyes and taking on a tired tone. "That's the problem with young people now, too busy for even the slightest amount of self reflection. It seems likeness attracts if you and those other two are any indicator." I had a violent full body twitch at that. "I would like to say that she wants you to live as much as you want her too. It would make her a terrible person otherwise."

My body was seizing up in anger at this old fools sheer *gall* but I couldn't refute him since I'd insult Harribel if I did. After a moment of repose the best response I had was: "It seems you picked up a few linguistics tricks old man."

"Hmph, base insults from you are a reward more than anything else, a sign that I've won, that I was right about likeness! You're like your friend Apacci!"

I was so angry I almost swallowed my tongue. "No wonder Aizen betrayed you, you're like one of those disgusting fish with a parasite for a tongue."

"And yours is forked. Not as much as his is, I had thought it would take a snake to spot another, but it seems you are made of sterner stuff." I was drawing my sword until he said that last bit. "You're a fine young lady indeed, it's a shame you're not a Soul Reaper, loyalty and power like yours would have gotten you far indeed. Certainly more trustworthy or smart than Kaname, he had seemed loyal too up until now."

"Hm, you realise I'm loyal only to people don't you old fool? I'd betray you in a heartbeat if Harribel ordered it."

"Yes, that honesty is something I can believe in unlike those three traitors. Harribel would be a Captain, but the attitudes you three have make me wonder if you could be Captains at all."

"Seems you have gone senile if you've forgotten about Mayuri or that brat Hitsugaya."

"Hm. A fair point, you would definitely replace that young lad I'm sure."

"Keeping the insane clown and his posse? Smart choice, truth be told I've an odd liking for the man despite his designs for me."

"He will not be able to enact them."

I leisurely turned to him at that. "I heard rumor that you lied to Rukia when you went to execute her, something about offering Ichigo mercy? I teased that out of the Captains I've talked to." He had no visible reaction, but silence was it's own answer in my eyes. "I guess Aizen learned from you, lead by example and all that. It's wonderful to know Harribel believes the same too, but has decided not to lie to me. If you'll excuse me I'll go find more people to annoy."

I could hear the wooden cane held in his grip crack as I walked away.


	24. Twenty Fourth Flunk

A burst of sound and we were here inside Las Noches, dark blue tiles all around with the exception of the bright white staircase in front of us, as the five people turned to us I walked up them, Orihime frozen stiff as Aizen walked towards her.

"Welcome back...Orihime." I took my place besides Emilou and Harribel, firmly ignoring Gin and Tōsen. "What's the matter? I thought you'd be happy to see us now that you're back again but you look so troubled." Aizen cupped her cheek. "You should try to smile, everyone gets so depressed when the sun doesn't shine." He leaned in till he was cheek to cheek with her. "Smile and wait here a while, that's all you need to do just until..." A Garganta opened up behind us, showing a city as we looked down at her. "Just until my men and I are done destroying Karakura Town."

"You're going to destroy Karakura Town?" She was full of disbelief, perhaps despair.

"That's right. I need to destroy Karakura Town to create the Ōken. Kaname."

"Yes?"

"The Tenteikūra."

"Right." Kidō of some kind wrote patterns across his arm before expanding into a square and cast itself into the air. "Bakudō Seventy Seven, Tenteikūra." I could feel an intrusion upon my mind, it was like the Ninth Espada's ability to synchronise the senses, allowing you to witness what he did, but all Tenteikūra did was allow for wide scale telepathy. Everyone in Las Noches was about to hear Aizen speak.

We were informed of some Shinigami Kidō when deemed necessary, Tenteikūra apparently came with filters so that the enemy wouldn't hear your plans, but Aizen didn't care for that bit.

Before Aizen could say anything else Emilou, it _had_ to be Emilou, slapped my buttock and ran away using Sonido.

I couldn't believe she had done that until I saw Harribel had vanished too, I still didn't forgive her for _how_ she got my attention but I followed nonetheless, ending up in an empty room of Las Noches that only held us and Harribel.

"I can't believe you did that! Honestly! There was no excuse to be so crude and vulgar about it!" I yelled. "If you wanted my attention you just had to tug on my sleeves!"

"He wanted us to be in separate wings so we would enter through a Descorrer." Harribel explained, ignoring Emilou's cackling entirely.

"Can you hear me, my daring intruders? I commend you for coming this far and defeating my Espadas, as a reward we will tell you this much, we are proceeding with our plans to invade the world of the living. Orihime Inoue is being held in the fifth tower, if you want to affect a rescue feel free to come and get her. She's no longer of any use to me, her powers are indeed amazing, her ability to reject all forms of phenomena is beyond anything the human race has ever demonstrated, the leaders of the Soul Society are not fools, they have understood the importance of that power from the beginning. That is why her capture was a threat to them, it helps to explain their response to her, they were afraid. They immediately took steps not to protect the world of the living but the Soul Society itself. Her very presence caused them to mobilize, she became the bait to lure in the Soul Society's potential new military strength, the Ryoka, which included the Substitute Soul Reaper and his friends."

Apacci huffed. "Man, this guy is even more of a drama queen than you are Sung-Sun. Still can't believe he wanted us to enter through a Descorrer just to be dramatic and cool, I woulda picked a fight if that asskisser Tōsen wasn't there."

I would have retorted had Aizen not continued his speech.

"If you were wondering about the fate of the four Captains who assist the intruders, don't worry, I was able to imprison them in Hueco Mundo." He finally walked through the Garganta, the rest of us staying behind to let him grandstand. "The strength of the Court Guard Squads is really quite simple when you break it down, the thirteen Captains all possess enough power to be able to stand as a military force of they're own, but now however three of them have defected, and four of them are imprisoned. If you do the math you could say that the military power of the Soul Society has been cut in half, it makes our job easy. We will destroy Karakura Town, create the Ōken, and overthrow the Soul Society. When all of this is done I shall take each of you on at my leisure."

That was when the remaining Captains assembled before us.

Ukitake. Shunsui. Soifon. Komomura. Hitsugaya.

And finally Head Captain Yamamoto. "Hm...excellent. It seems we made it here in time."

"Made it _in_ time? Now why would you think to say something like that? I'm well aware that what lies beneath you isn't Karakura Town, this may come as a surprise, but that means nothing to me. Starkk, Bariggan, Harribel, come here." Tears in space opened up in Fake Karakura Town, and while those two were making dramatic entrances Mila Rose walked up behind us. I was going to insult her in front of our audience for it but Aizen was still monologuing. "If Karakura Town is now inside the Soul Society we'll just kill you right here and create the Ōken within the Soul Society, it is that simple. Until then I shall leave Las Noches under your care Ulquiorra, my Pale Rider."

That was our cue to enter Karakura Town through the Descorrer.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"You hear that Ichigo?" Captain Kenpachi Zaraki looked at the orange haired Substitute.

"Yeah..."

"Well whatever you heard is irrelevant because you clearly weren't listening, he left Las Noches in my care which means you two will perish here."

"Don't you get it Ulquiorra! We don't care! We're gonna cut through you straight to Aizen! But before that I wanna know what happened to Uryu and Renji."

Bright green catlike eyes stared at him in silence before slowly answering him. "I am not obligated to answer you Kurosaki, but it seems your friends are dead."

"What? That can't be true! You already tried to trick me with Rukia!"

"Yes, Captain Unohana seems to have healed her, but she was too slow to reach your other friends."

The heroic young man grit his teeth until Captain Zaraki spoke up.

"Relax Ichigo, it's all turned out fine so far hasn't it? He's just talking out his ass."

Ichigo became calm again, enough to pose another question. "Just one more question before I cut you down Ulquiorra! Are you the fourth Espada?"

Ulquiorra fell silent before eventually replying. "So you met Sung-Sun and failed against her have you? Is it because a proper Captain is fighting by your side?"

"That ain't it, now put 'em up!"

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"You..." I was seething in rage. Soifon simply smirked at me while the rest of her peers were muttering to each other.

"What's wrong? Thought you'd be happy to see her?" Mila asked.

"I can't drain anyone. She's already stabbed them all with Suzumebachi at some point, that or the egghead Division whipped something up. Hmm...considering what Aizen's power is it's safe to say it isn't Suzumebachi."

 **All things in the universe turn to ashes, Ryūjin Jakka!"** The Head Captain released his Zanpakutō right when I finished speaking, surprising us all, a sea of flames traveling through the air and quickly enveloping the three traitorous Captains. **"Jōkaku Enjō."** A complete sphere of flame surrounded them, no high speed movement or Kidō would get them out of that.

"So...alright what should we do here now?" Baraggan asked, loud enough that only the Espada could hear. "Stuck with our enemies while our boss is in that mess."

That was the million dollar question wasn't it? Our lives depended on that answer after all.

There were many things we could do.

The best one?

Turn around and go home.

It is that simple. Each of the Espada had a Discorrer open behind them, we could leave whenever we pleased.

But before we talk about our other options there was something else you should know. I poisoned someone.

But how? The Shinigami inoculated themselves against my power stealing poison, was it my fellow Espada? No.

It was Aizen himself.

How could I possibly leave after that?

You're underestimating his power if you're think I'm leaving, the sheer Reiryoku that perfectionist had was suffocating. After having mastered not just Kidō but his Zanpakutō and even hand to hand combat his power was truly astonishing.

He _wrecked_ Captain Komomura with a _single_ Kidō.

He might have been the weakest Captain, but he was a Captain. That sort of power just couldn't be passed up.

Besides...we didn't trust the Shinigami to handle him alone.

I shook my head at Harribel and placed my palm on the hilt of my sword. "They're all going to die no matter what we do. Even the Head Captain is going to fail despite all the things going his way...my poison has latched onto a certain someone after all." I directed that last bit at Harribel, letting her know I poisoned Aizen.

"I see." Harribel looked back at Baraggan. "I suppose we'll wait and see how long that sphere of fire lasts, I say we pace ourselves while the war is in its infancy and let _them_ handle most of the work."

He didn't look shocked by the overtones of betrayal. Starkk did judging by the wide eyes, but he wasn't going to do anything.

Baraggan sighed loudly before snapping his fingers, his Fracción unveiling a red carpet at that cue. As the carpet spewed out bones that quickly assembled themselves into a throne he took his seat and began speaking. "I see, so you're saying Aizen and his ilk will fight the Head Captain and his two students all on their own. Hmm...I wonder if they'll allow that, even the lazy looking bum won't sit idly by as his peers die. Well...we can make new plans as the situation develops. Having a general game plan is all that matters at the start of any endeavour."

"Hey, think about what you're saying here, Aizen didn't bring us here to look pretty, he's definitely gonna ask us to fight." Starkk was close to shouting but nobody really cared. He knew what would happen if that situation ever happened. He'd ask to fight and we'd betray him.

Baraggan ignored Starkk entirely and decided to speak loud enough for the Shinigami to hear, looking right at the Head Captain as he talked. "The enriched spirit zone that's down there beneath us, Aizen said it was a fake. He said they replaced a real one with a fake from the Soul Society. Before the fires surrounded him he said all we have to do is invade the Soul Society and obtain the enriched spirit zone. But is it really necessary for us to go through all that trouble? I figure from what was said earlier it works like this, he said they erected four pillars on each side of the town and used the power of the pillars to swap out the entire place. So what would happen if they destroyed those pillars? Now Findorr."

"Sir." His blonde Fracción blew on the blade attached to his wrist, creating four large Gargantas in Fake Karakura.

"I know where those pillars are located, there's a method to placing things like that, I'm certain they're positioned at the four cardinal points." Giant Hollows came out of each Garganta at his words.

"Aaargh! This is terrible! They know! _They know!_ " Glad a Soul Reaper confirmed we were right.

One of the Hollows came out and landed on top of a pillar, causing the formerly invisible obstruction to reveal itself in a flash of green. The other three pillars were also revealed as they too were attacked.

The same fat Soul Reaper kept screaming about what would happen, his screams making some of us smirk.

That was when all four Hollows died, having been killed by whatever Lieutenant class Shinigami was stationed on the pillars. In return Baraggan sent his Fracción at the pillars instead.

We sat back and watched, hoping to waste as much time as possible.

"Cyan. Will the Head Captain really lose?" Harribel asked.

"Yes."

"Then we'll need a plan for when he breaks free."

"Yes Ma'am. Let's watch Jōkaku Enjō for when it dissipates and strike then."

"I'm not sure that'll work." Mila butted in. "They'll have already escaped or have attacked through whatever opening that ball of fire eventually makes by then. I suggest we pierce right through it when we feel like it, besides, that firey prison may dissapear all at once."

"Then we'll need to be organized in that case. We're not sure of it's lifespan and may end up needing a signal to tell us when to strike. If that happens then I'll go above Jōkaku Enjō and signal you with my Spiritual Pressure." Harribel said. "Cyan, I want you to tug on my Spirit Energy when you think you've gathered enough."

I closed my eyes in silent frustration.

Yes I wanted to spoil myself, but I also wanted him and Tōsen weak enough that no Kidō would protect them. Trying to divine when they were that weak was a tough task.

"Hey, can we actually pierce through that thing? A Cero won't cut it." Emilou asked.

"Ha, scared?" Mila taunted.

"No you stupid-"

"We'll strike at him in pairs, one from above and below." Harribel explained.

"Huh? Oh..." Emilou got an evil smile on her face.

"I'm amazed you got it so quickly Emilou." Mila wondered.

"How couldn't she? Though she's a total numbskull she's always good at finding the most destructive ways to crush somebody." I replied.

"Hey! Do you two really gotta-"

I gasped. "Charlotte is dead?!"

"Hey! Don't interrupt me you bitch!"

"Hm? Who's that?"

"Charlotte, one of Baraggan's Fracción, I was actually fairly friendly with him when I was just a Hollow, his philosophy was about how beauty equalled power, how couldn't I get along with that little snake charmer?"

"Grr...you think you two can just-"

"Shut up. None of the fights are going our way right now except for Findorr. But more importantly, none of Captains are moving. They really _are_ just going to let us stay like this huh?"

"They want to keep up this state of arrested movement Rose."

"Yes but why?" She turned to me. "Aren't they supposed to end the conflict quickly? Jōkaku Enjō won't last forever." No matter how I thought about it she was right.

"It's because they won't be able to react if we suddenly attack a pillar from afar or up close, they need to keep us here because if we get any closer to those pillars we'll inevitably destroy it on accident." Harribel explained. "They just guessed wrong is all, wasting time here helps us more than them. Let them think their presence stops us for the time being."

"I guess the best fight for us then is those two monkeys goin' at it."

"Poww, right? Yeah, he can't hit a thing and his opponent can't cut him." Mila looked absolutely disgusted at their incompetence.

"What does it matter? Findorr is going to win his fight and cut down the pillars." I was observing the fight in question as I spoke. "Besides, that little monkey is tiring himself out because he keeps trying to stab Poww, so inept, can you believe he's a Lieutenant?"

"Is he Eleventh Squad? I think you'd fit right in Emilou. They're all soft arses."

"Another one is dead."

Emilou irritably looked over at the guy who died. "You might end up like him if you keep insulting me Rose! Hey wait a minute, it's that guy we fought in Karakura Town!" Having identified him she went to fire a Bala at Izuru Kira.

"Apacci."

She growled but snuffed it out at Harribel's warning. "These godamn weaklings can't last a damn minute!"

Baraggan glanced at her out the corner of his eye for that.

"Well it's amusing to watch isn't it? The wheat being separated from the chaff, but besides that it seems Findorr isn't going to fail nearly as quickly as those other two did." I watched Findorr fire a storm of Balas from his sword. "An impressive trick."

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Looks like that tattooed loser actually beat Findorr. I was actually willing to bet on him too..." I muttered.

"Careful Cyan, we got tattoos too."

"Oh you know what I meant Mila, though while we're talking...are you-no, let's not beat around the bush, we're all bored aren't we girls?"

"Yeah."

"I wanna kill someone already!"

"Being bored is better than the alternative." Harribel said.

That was when one of the pillars exploded, a wave of green energy washing across the lands to reveal, or rather bring back the real Karakura Town.

"I guess things are heating up, Aizen not included." I muttered.

"That someone from Eleventh got hit by him is disgraceful." Mila looked down at the Soul Reaper with utter contempt. "We would have run rings around that fat loaf as an Adjucha and yet he fails?"

"Remind me why we're afraid of these guys again?" Apacci put her hands behind her head.

"So stern and depressing, you two are like old ladies, at least give me something to laugh at."

"What the hell did you say!?"

The two of them got in my face so I looked away. "I said you two are boring. What's there to be upset about? Don't tell me you two are offended by facts now?"

"That's rich!" Mila shoved Emilou aside and started shouting in my face. "You're the only old woman here with that tasteless dress and dumb haircut!"

"Really? Well personally I think flaunting that fat chest of yours is tasteless, are you that desperate for a man?"

"Grr, you're pretty full of yourself for someone so!-"

"Oh? That looks like a fun time. Why don't I give you all a show then if you're bored? It's fine right Tier?" Mila shut up and looked over to her at my question while Emilou looked for what captured my attention.

She didn't need to look very hard at all.

It was easy to spot that giant Bankai, that giant in black armour with a giant sword with a forward facing horned helmet and a red veil.

Tier glanced at Aizen's makeshift prison before eventually answering. "...Fine. Just don't take it too far Sung-Sun, even if a Captain has gotten involved in that fight." I was about to move towards that Bankai when three fools got in our way.

"Thinking about interfering are we? Sorry to preempt you." A small silver haired boy with piercing green eyes and a familiar man along with a man in a large wooden hat and a flowing pink haori appeared before us. All of them were Captains.

"Well look who it is, if it isn't Jūshirō Ukitake, long time no see." Mila greeted him. "And who's that brat you're baby sitting? Did you let him wear a Captains haori out of pity?"

"Ah hello, it's been a while, if I'll be honest I'd hoped we'd never meet again. But I suppose I ought to introduce you to my friends and colleagues, this is Tōshirō Hitsugaya, Captain of Squad Ten and this is Shunsui Kyōraku, Captain of Squad Eight." He presented a stoic face but seemed a little sad.

"Your concern is touching." She dryly replied. Jūshirō seemed a little put off but was still willing to be friendly.

I'm sure my friends would wreck that in no time.

"This isn't bring your kid to work day! I suggest you tell your kid to stop playing dress up and scram!" Emilou tacked on.

"Oh my, you hear that Jūshirō? It seems like there's something you haven't been telling me?" Shunsui teased him with an easy going smile.

"If you keep underestimating me you'll die." The little man retorted.

"You've come to wrong place for your dress up party kid, I suggest you try the playground." I pointed to the one below us, my draping sleeve covering my hand entirely. "You can try your cool one liners on them dearie." I got light laughter from my friends and a stoic glare from the boy as Ukitake gave an awkward laugh.

"I see your tongue and wit is as sharp as ever, as are the blunt mannerisms of your friends." Ukitake replied.

"Yes, sadly that part hasn't changed at all."

"What the hell are you saying! You're embarrassing us in front of Lady Harribel!"

Franceska sighed. "If anything your outburst is embarrassing us, maybe we should send you to daycare along with the brat over there?"

"Why the hell do you two numbskulls keep insulting me?! Who's side are you on?!"

"That's rich coming from you, are you so thick that you've forgotten what your own power is?" Mila retorted.

"You godamn!-"

"Mila. Emilou." Harribel warned before going silent for a beat. "Why don't you go where Cyan was off to Emilou?" She ordered.

Apacci looked greatly conflicted, probably a little hurt by her seeming rejection and eager to prove herself. "But!-"

"Relax Emilou." I but in. "It's pragmatism, she's giving you an outlet for your stress, do you see anyone here that can actually hurt her? We know what they can do and that the snot nosed little brat there couldn't even scratch his playmate Luppi, the dumb kid who thought he replaced Grimmjow till he killed him."

"I've gotten stronger since then just so you know. I-" Tōshirō warned us before getting interrupted by Emilou.

"But these fucking freaks want to fight her! How the hell can I just sit back and!-"

"You will because Her Majesty is worried about trivial things like your health, don't squander that." She was struck silent and almost rendered slackjawed. "Simply observe our fight from afar and wonder how you might contribute and fight them while you're crushing your opponents." She got a serious look on her face and nodded before speeding off.

"Thanks Cyan, that was going to be a bother."

"No problem Rose."

"Sending her away? How incautious."

I was silent for a second. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking Rose?"

"There really aren't any words that do the little tyke justice. The dumb little bastard just keeps finding ways to piss us off and get it all wrong."

"Hm, you'd think only a kid genius would be a Captain but he's even dumber than that mutt of a Captain who's showing off his giant Bankai. You're going to get far more than a bar of soap down your mouth kid." I lowered my sleeve from my mouth. "Did you three move in because you think you caught us off guard? You couldn't be further from the truth."

"Well that's interesting, am I to take it that hot blooded one you just sent off was the weakest one?" Shunsui said.

"You'd assume right."

"Well isn't that curious? Either there's a hidden trick with your ability or that Emilou has an odd ability, and considering insults like numbskull and thick was being tossed at her I'll imagine it has something to do with her...Hierro was it?"

I smiled and narrowed my eyes at him before hiding my mouth behind a sleeve. "You're going to pose questions despite having an answer? It'd be a miracle if you get any woman like that...not that you'll be walking away from this in one piece."

His eyes theatrically widened. "Sheesh, remind not to get on any of your bad sides."

"You already pissed us off when you came to bother Lady Harribel, with your sad little displays, now all of you pests are going to die for making her draw her sword." Mila turned to Shunsui as she spoke.

"Yes, it's a grave insult to us too whenever she's forced to draw it, for the sake of our master and our pride...die." I turned to Ukitake and charged him.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"So this is it huh? I feel like I'm being issued a challenge if you keep this big lug around!"

"Sorry if you felt provoked." Her dog headed opponent replied.

Seriously, what the hell was this guy? A werewolf? Some animals became Hollows but Shinigami? That shouldn't happen at all!

"Eh? You're apologising? You really are as strange as you look, but at least you got some manners unlike those other dumb bastards you call your friends!" I threw my arm out to the side and enjoyed how the two peons behind him watched that move like their lives depended on it.

"Thank you, though I'm not entirely sure I would call them all my friends." He calmly replied.

"Hmph, not much of a talker though are you? Oh well, so that washed up loser behind you has a special power huh? Is it any good or is it as disappointing as he is?" The Soul Reaper in question clenched the broken remains of his spear as his friend started sweating bullets.

"I'm afraid he mustn't if his pillar got destroyed."

A mean smirk grew on my face. "Oh yeah? Guess not, how could trash from Squad whatever have a Bankai? Even that emo loser Kira protected his, someone worthwhile wouldn't have lost to a mere Arrancar, I should have known anyone from his sad excuse from a Squad was nothing more than a suicidal lemming!" _Got_ _you now bastard!_

"Don't do it Ikkaku."

This Ikkaku, the one with the broken spear was trembling from anger.

"What's he gonna do? Shake harder and keep lying to himself? Hurry up and scram you dumb bastard! You've got _nothing_ to contribute here! You couldn't even protect a pillar! You're nothing but a waste of resources you talentless parasite! Now run away with that tail between your legs." My smirk grew even wider when I heard his teeth break after grinding too much.

"Tetsuzaemon...don't stop me."

This Tetsu guy, some Soul Reaper in shades turned to Ikkaku. "Don't do it! You'll just die! Can't you tell you're being baited you moron!"

"He knows." The Captain answered calmly.

Tetsu turned to his Captain. "Sir...are you promoting his reckless behaviour?"

"If even you, his friend couldn't stop him then I doubt I could."

"Heh, that's not how you handle an insubordinate twit! Let me show you how! C'mon kid, hurry up and bring out your Bankai!" I shouted it so loudly that everyone had to hear, Head Captain included. All the Captains gave a shocked look over here as the Captain Commander just looked down at him silently, under the stares the bald Soul Reaper started sweating. "Hurry up and release it you candy ass! Everybody already knows you're dumb ass is too inept to be a Captain, that you will _never_ amount to anything more than a beatstick, and now that you failed at even that you're no more than a dead man walking! No one has time for an idiot, so start pulling your own weight or die!"

I speed right at him, Komomura not moving at all as I went for Ikkaku.

" **Bankai! Ryūmon Hōzukimaru!** **"** Slamming the broken pieces of his staff together his weapon turned into a massive pair of monk spades and a guillotine of sorts that was floating at his back. "You better be careful what you wish for." He gave a vicious and bloody grin before holding up the guillotine by it's handle and spinning it. "You see this dragon on it? How it's slowly filling up? That's Hōzukimaru, lazy bastard doesn't wake up immediately like the Captain's does here but when it does it'll rock your world!"

Recovering from the knockback his release caused her she stared at him. "So that's your Bankai huh?...What a waste of my time, all you've left me feeling is disappointment."

"What?" He was stunned.

"Yeah, my friends and I can bust out something wayyy more destructive than that ornament piece you got there, and in a fraction of the time too, we call it Quimera Parca. So are you ready to die or what?" He was silent till the Captain spoke.

"So you decided what to do then Ikkaku?"

"Yes Captain Komomura!"

"Then we will do battle Espada!" Komomura drew his sword, his giant Bankai mirroring his actions as Ikkaku kept charging his Bankai in the background.

"Hmph, I don't need to release against you two brats, die!"

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

Post Script.

Findorr V Hisagi is one of the best fights. Got no idea how to feel about this chapter, there's no action and it feels a little too short, but that's my problem. Barely 5300 words when rounding up.

Please pardon the awkward line break. I had a scene planned for it but scrapped it.

And don't think I can't see you PervyPanda! Ha! Pleasant surprise when I found out an author I followed was following a story of mine. Guess it's a small world, glad it is.

 **PandoraJail!** Sorry, I wrote this up so long ago I have no excuse as for why this chapter came out so late. Glad you're liking it so far though.

 **Guest!** Absolutely no one likes chapter five, got it.

 **EVA-Saiyajin!** Yeah, I screwed up with Harribel in that chapter, she was right next to a riverbank and her ability is control over _water_. What's wrong with me? I only connected the dots _chapters_ after, but I have no regrets in terms of Cyan in that chapter. I felt it appropriate that Soifon struck her with Suzumebachi.

 **Unsettling A-R!** And then there's you! That was...perhaps the sweetest, greatest compliment a work of mine will ever receive. I am kind of speechless since it's _so_ clear you care man, it's kind of like a comment you might get from a kindhearted Doppleganger. The way you talked about Harribel, the thought process, even how some things got rushed is spot on. Upon reflection I needed a scene where they each get their Resurrección and make it special. Especially Harribel, since it frees up her mouth that Cyan wanted access too. Though I...feel kinda dirty writing that. Maybe I should grow a thicker skin with that sort of thing, I certainly feel it would have improved the story.

I wish to rewrite this story, Cyan only, no C.N involved to satisfy some and raise the danger at the same time. I hope I'll get to it in a timely manner and make it perfect.

As for FGO it's treating me marvellously. Maid Alter NP2, Florence with max skills, Joan of Arc, Musashi, Sanzang, Nero Caster. All at NP 1 except for Maid Alter, Circe is NP 3. I've grailed Euryale, Nero and Elizabeth to LvL 90 and gave them lores. Didn't know I was so excited to talk to someone about FGO until I finished writing this. I did wanna wait for Dead Heat Summer Race again but this Download banner is looking mighty tempting.

 **Guest!** Nnoitra never released against her, but she was cutting through his Hierro before she released, that and Sung-Sun was draining him of his strength.

 **Ahmed Maged!** Thank you! It means a lot to me that you read and appreciate it, your time and joy is all I need.

 **Antex!** I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I hope you like this chapter, action comes next chapter too.

 **Davidomega59!** I'll look up that soon enough, though I forget to look through my own Speeches folder sometimes. But I'll try remembering it.

 **Ruimask!** I had no idea how to talk about Renji and Uryu, I could write about Mila literally kicking the shit out of them and I don't think any reader would find that unrealistic.

I'll take your advice to heart, I wondered for quite a while what the problems were but you put it so well I've no doubts about it anymore. Thank you. I've learned from you that an SI has restrictions too, a reviewer complained about it too, said I should have put such a thing in the summary. Thank you Rui, you've helped me quite a lot.

By the way, think I should change any abilities of the Tres Bestia? I'm not too keen on changing Sung-Sun's since it's the only way I could see them evolving to Vasto Lorde but...now that I'm typing this I realise I can write an emotional scene that makes Tier okay with them eating people. Nice job Rui! You may not have intended this but...great job regardless!


	25. Begin: The Emilou Arc!

He stepped right, making his giant Bankai block the Bala meant for Ikkaku before slamming his sword down onto the street to smash her.

 _Hmm...that's odd. I didn't think she'd be a passive fighter after what she's done._ He watched Emilou dodge his attack and stand in the sky above him. _Why is she targeting Ikkaku? Did he personally offend her or is it just because he is weak? I'll have to see if she acknowledges another "challenge." Or is she just that fixated on Madarame?_

Pulling his sword up to smack her she decided to run on the back of the blade itself and rushed either for him or his Bankai, he couldn't tell. His Bankai, Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō was a somewhat peculiar thing. Upon releasing a Zanpakutō you became stronger, your Spirit Energy tripling, giant constructs don't hamper that at all as evidenced by both himself and Mayuri.

Mayuri also summoned a giant creature with his Bankai, but unlike his Mayuri's Bankai was quite weak when you compared their Spiritual Pressures. Pitiful, even. Komamura wasn't quite sure why that was, but the end result was that Mayuri and his Bankai were two different entities.

One could crush the other and still have a healthy Captain waiting to finish the job. Not the case for Komamura. An attack on either would hurt the both of them.

One might say he was as strong as he was brittle.

Some even called it as slow as a Gillian.

In truth the comments made him quite sad. It revealed that ignorance was a hard thing to get rid of, hard to get people to see what was underneath the exterior. It's why he knew there were very few evil people were actually here.

Though the main takeaway was that the reason his Bankai was so slow was because he was measuring the distance and performing what the younger recruits called "mindgames." For in truth his Bankai was as fast as he was, so he punched her off the back of his blade and into rows of buildings.

Understandably there was nought but silence.

"Sir! That was amazing!"

"It was nothing Tetsuzaemon, she'll be back soon, so keep charging your Bankai Ikkaku." _Just_ _try not to think of how much Yamamoto will chew you out for this. Though in the end I know you'll recognise the Head Captain is right._

His formally downed opponent fired a Cero from the rubble she was under at him, making him tilt his blade so that Tengen would reflect it. Stabbing at her yielded no results either as she got away and pelted his Bankai with Balas, the numerous impacts like firm pats against his body.

To explain his Bankai in layman's terms, unlike Mayuri he got twice the power where Mayuri got twice the abilities. Tengen was like having a stronger, more durable Captain shadow his every movement.

As she swiped at her again she tried to kick his blade down only to fail to even budge it, knocked off balance by her own attempt she was quick to flee towards the flat of Tengen's blade. _She doesn't believe she can dodge me, that or she wants me to hit her._ Obliging her he swatted at her only for her to charge a red Cero, a move that didn't make any sense until he saw Ikkaku was in the way of his fist, having already tried to stop her. Stopping himself mid-swing all he could do was watch as Ikkaku barely managed to block thanks to his fist distracting him.

Thankfully Ikkaku managed to put up a good block, though that might not be enough, he now had burns across his entire body on top of the bruises. Surely he'd be flinching constantly from the pain, but Ikkaku actually seemed unfazed as he danced across Tengen's blade with the Espada, creating an entrancing display of swordsmanship.

His three part Zanpakutō against the twisted metal in her hands, it was a short and primitive thing, impossible for a rational mind to wield or even describe. The best way to describe it was as a short sword with multiple daggers sticking out and bent in random places, it'd be better to call them random growths or bladed tumors than daggers really.

It was clearly some sort of African weapon, a mambele perhaps?

Shoving the thought out of his mind he tilted his sword, putting the Espada off balance for Ikkaku. She seemed to know that too as she threw her Zanpakutō at his legs as he ran at her only for him to jump over it, a look of irritation overcame her as she pelted him with her Balas, but Ikkaku was able to block that and get in even closer, though if Komamura's eyes didn't betray him he did see him buckle from the attacks.

If that was the case then Ikkaku was going to die unless he did something.

Komamura stopped his train of thought to block her returning Zanpakutō from stabbing Ikkaku in the back.

It still tumbled it's way into her hands however thanks to Ikkaku. The Soul Reaper standing there and letting her arm herself again followed by a quick transaction of words.

It was proper for Ikkaku to try and impart his own philosophy and that of his squad, dying was meaningless if you betrayed who you are. But the dialogue only served to enrage the Espada further. But then she sheathed her sword.

 _She's disrespecting him with mere sadism, she does not value him as a warrior at all, she'll do her best to trample over his dignity. Ikkaku's friends typically wouldn't care overly much that he died, for he would have died a warriors death, but now..._

Ikkaku swung each piece of his massive Zanpakutō against her only for the two giant spades to get deflected with her knuckles. It was just as he feared.

If wasn't that Ikkaku didn't have Hierro that made him doubt the Seated Officer's chances, it wasn't even that he was entering another battle badly weakened, it was just that Ikkaku was still too weak. Even Bankai hadn't raised Ikkaku's spiritual pressure enough to really stand a chance against her. He could tell that the moment Ikkaku flinched under her rain of Balas.

But still Ikkaku kept fighting her despite getting pummeled, her fists seeking out old bruises to pound or new ones to make as his two giant spades failed to find any real purchase. As she lay into a side in his chest he swung a spade into her unguarded side, slicing through both the cloth and skin but they were only ever superficial wounds. It was clear those two spades weren't going to do anything.

And yet he still fought on to Emilou's visible consternation.

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

"Get the hell out of my face you little shit!" She swiped away one of his spades and gut punched him with the same fist. "Can't you see you can't hurt me?!" She damn near backhanded him off this Bankai's blade, though she kind of meant to take his jaw.

He screamed and hollered as he recovered bringing his weapons against her. Grinding her teeth together she held a hand out and stopped his Zanpakutō with one hand, but even then the dumb bastard didn't _stop_. Bringing his other spade to the fore he thrust it against her other shoulder. The impacts split her skin.

"I am Ikkaku Madarame! Now tell me your name!" His crazed grin irritated her enough that her Spiritual Pressure was rising to the point his Bankai was slowly cracking in her hand.

"It's Emilou Apacci you annoying bastard! And I am the Red Rider!" She tilted her neck to show the bold, stylised number four on her collarbone.

The moment he saw that he grinned manically, a light shining in his eyes as he saw opportunity. As he saw a defenceless neck, and when she put her other hand up to grab the giant spade in her shoulder his mania increased.

"That's great! You should know the name of the one who killed you!" He roared as he put his all into this attack, holding her arms in place as he...turned his head around?

So dumbfounded was she that she didn't react when he bit down onto the handle of the guillotine at his back.

By the time she realised what he was doing he was already about to cut right into her face. The last thing Ikkaku saw of her was her wide eyes before his Zanpakutō came crashing down on her head.

It was still for a moment. Komamura's Bankai repositioning it's blade in the meantime.

Turning his Bankai to the side his shocked gaze met her wide, incredulous eyes. He stared at his guillotine where it met the remains of her Hollow Mask, bewildered by the lack of a single scratch.

"I can't believe you thought that would work."

"I can't believe it didn't." He replied.

She gently grabbed his arm and moved him into the way of Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō's Blade, which bisected him at the hip.

And so Ikkaku died at the hands of Komamura, having cut him in half by assuming he could dodge, not having seen Emilou grab Ikkaku. Screams of pain and rage rang out as Emilou and her meatshield were blown away, obscene streams of gore leaving a trail like that of a comet. Blood and organs were falling from the sky.

No combatant missed it, all looking over in horror or shock except for Baraggan. All saw his shattered bones decorate the asphalt as torn skin slapped against the road, leaving splats of blood with each impact as his intestines were unraveling in midair.

Ikkaku's fellow Lieutenants fell to their knees in horror, hearts leaping to their throats as they regarded the other Espada with renewed fear, only Izuru recognised the tragedy for what it was. An accident from Komamura, he also knew that this tragedy actually had a silver lining, having noticed what no other Lieutenant did. That he also hit the enemy.

Walking over to her Komamura silently towered over her, visibly angry at her as he looked down at her broken form.

She glared up at him from the road, her hip shattered beyond belief, the countless fragments digging deep into her, deep enough they almost reached her spine.

"IKKAKU!" Izuru winced and regarded Yumichika's form flying over to Ikkaku. Those two were thick as thieves, so Izuru knew he was a changed man with the death of his best friend. He could envision Yumichika asking Izuru why he didn't kill Emilou when she was just an Adjuchas. He was wondering the same thing.

Izuru felt a crippling amount of guilt well up from within for having failed to kill Emilou and then sedating Yumichika when he first tried to help Ikkaku. There was no two ways about it, Izuru was responsible for Ikkaku's death.

Komamura glared at her. "Do you have any last words Espada?"

"Last words?! Like I'd die in this dump!" Apacci moved in frustration, making her wince and scream.

"Give up Espada, surely you're not stupid enough to think you can win sitting down can you? Surrender, so that you and your friends don't have to die here."

"You bastard...you dare insult us!? You dare insult Her Majesty!? Now I'm beginning to wish I had that meathead's ability, because I am pissed!" She struggled to stand up, piercing the road with her fingers to help her stand as she tried to remember the name of the guy she was talking about, the tenth Espada. Yammy Lardass? "I will not disgrace her! Not even if it cost me my life! You had better be prepared for this!" She unsheathed her Zanpakutō and put it to her Hollow Mask.

 **"Thrust!-"** A victorious scream rang out from down the street as Ikkaku's Bankai smashed into her hip ripping an unholy scream of rage from her as she stared at the bastard. **"YOU!"**

Ikkaku was there, his arm extended and held up by his friend Yumichika. "Me..." He was barely audible, his blood pouring from his mouth and lower half.

"You don't even have a lower body!" She double checked just to make, and yes, he was missing his legs. "Isn't your shitty Bankai supposed to be gone when you're half dead, or is it as defective as you?!"

"Don't know, don't care...all I know is that the both of us are broken." His head slowly listed backwards as the remains of his Bankai slowly turned to dust.

He was dead, turning to Komamura she just realized his sword was at her neck.

"His final act was a meaningful one, and though I respect you for not wanting to disgrace your leader, I must force your surrender even though I hold the same values. The Head Captain has done me a great justice, so I don't wish to fail him nor Ikkaku Madarame." It vaguely amused him that her response was to growl, but he quickly quashed the feeling, slightly disgusted at himself for that.

And then he turned towards his fellow Captains in concern.

One of the Espadas had just released their Zanpakutō.

Emilou didn't think twice, she saw his distracted state and pounced on it. " **Thrust!-"** Komamura drew blood. **"Cierva!"** He resumed the cut, but Emilou dropped her to the ground, so instead of a slit throat he was cutting though her mouth. Which is when he made an uncomfortable discovery.

His either didn't have the momentum or the strength to cut through her teeth.

Her Zanpakutō melted into her Hollow Mask as her Spiritual Pressure rose dramatically. If the blood loss didn't kill Ikkaku then her Resurrección sure would. Violent rivers of red Spirit Energy burst in every direction, even through the ground, her Resurrección was like a frag grenade, and at the epicenter of it only two people remained. Yumichika and Ikkaku having been blown away into the distance by the force of her new power.

"Guess I should be impressed you didn't die then and there..." Red steam enveloped her form as she slowly stood up. "Though I gotta say, it made me pretty angry that you made that big bastard step on me!" The steam blew away in the face of her anger, her new form finally revealed to the world. Both of her eyes were brown now, with red lighting patterned tattoos, her uniform and Zanpakutō were gone now, replaced by dark brown fur and bangles made of bones. But the greatest change was the giant thorny antlers.

Her Hollow Mask had turned into an impressive pair of antlers, they were like an Elk's, if far more demonic. Komamura wasn't an expert when it came to deers, but he knew there shouldn't be so many points or dagger sized thorns, all he knew was that the scariest thing about them was the blood dripping down from the ends of her antlers.

Yes...he tried to protect himself and stifle her transformation by stepping on her with his Bankai, but instead blood was dripping from their foot. He had to be careful so that she wouldn't know attacking him or his Bankai also hurt the other.

The downside of being as one with his Zanpakutō made it so that the other took damage, the advantage was that he'd never end up like Ikkaku. Ikkaku's Bankai wasn't as strong as it shouldn't have been, and the fault for that clearly wasn't it's wielder. No, it was that Ikkaku's Bankai broke.

To damage a Bankai left irreparable damage though it was made whole again by an ally in the Twelfth Division it would never be the same, it was forever dull, it's power diminished. Komamura's on the other hand would never break, never dull, but they would share each others wounds in return for that boon.

"Can you truly blame me for making sure Ikkaku's sacrifice wasn't in vain? For his dignity I shall make sure nothing he's done has been for nought, and bring vengeance to him."

"Revenge huh? I thought you were a friend of that bastard Tōsen."

"Yes, I am." He spoke wistfully. "I would share his burdens so that he would find the justice he talked about rather than sink into mere revenge, but clearly myself and his Lieutenant Shuhei Hisagi have failed him. But we will not do so again, I shall hold nothing back anymore. Now that I have forsaken my mask I wholeheartedly believe that the other Captains shall become my friends too, those bonds you share with those three are quite precious after all."

When he opened his eyes again she was stunned by the lack of anger in them, looking at him now made her a little nostalgic. Like she was looking at Harribel...

That comparison made her pretty damn angry since Harribel was a beautiful woman! Not some furry mut!

"Precious doesn't even begin to describe it!-" Komamura thrust his hand out to Yumichika, snuffing out whatever the grief ridden squad member was about to say. Probably some crappy Kidō spell or spout some lame threat.

"No Yumichika, speak no evil. Ikkaku died doing what he loved, and though I didn't know him well I believe he wouldn't bother with base threats against what another person treasures the most. Ikkaku fought for fun, for freedom, not because he wants to win like Captain Shunsui Kyōraku does. Though your care is a wonderful thing do not let it tarnish him." He turned back to her, politely ignoring her gobsmacked expression.

"What the hell?" She shook her head. "Whatever, I just gotta get back to them, and to do that I gotta get through you. You ready?"

Waiting for him to nod was the kindest thing she had ever done for an opponent. So when he did she tilted her head down, red lights from every point on her antlers were swelling in size.

"Puñalada Cero."

It was as if she released her Zanpakutō again except it was far more deadlier this time, instead of a wild frag grenade it was like a shotgun, and in his panic he moved his Bankai's leg forward again to protect him only to start catching light burns and bruises from it.

As terrible as it was he would have to try block all of them with his blade next time.

That was when he saw a most frightful development, her Ceros were stationary. She was not.

Weaving through her Puñalada Cero she approached his Bankai's leg at high speed and rammed her horns into it's knee, as he buckled under her strike he had to manipulate his Bankai's body so as to best protect him from Puñalada Cero while trying to dislodge her head from his knee.

Her speed and technique startled him, but he was about to get the upper hand. Punching her in the side with his Bankai yielded more results than he expected, when her head turned to fight off his fist he brought his Bankai's sword down on her unguarded side.

He immediately drew it back to protect himself from a blue Cero.

Komamura glanced angrily towards the one who fired it, locking eyes with the apathetic brown haired Espada, who was quickly assailed by Captain Ukitake.

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

"Well what's this?" His cool voice rang out, a calm, or rather smug smile on his face as the two of us clashed. "Are we playing musical combatants?"

"She must have had a reason for it."

"Really? So you think it'll happen again?" He lazily swung both his swords at me.

"I don't really care to know." I deflected both and stood still, deciding not to humour this man's theatrics.

"Really? I hope I didn't upset her or anything like that." He didn't take the hint and decided to step closer, making me lash out wildly to get him away, doing everything short of an actual technique or moving away. "Oof, looks like I have."

"Imagine that, some Casanova you are." He seemed to genuinely enjoy the banter we were having, I didn't mind it myself, but it was the way he was fighting that made me angry.

I could tell he was sizing me up with each strike, his latest attempt to get close was to see what my response would be. I was also more than fine to not take a fight seriously, I'd rather just not exert myself in a fake fight, though he'd probably call it warming up.

At least he understood that all this wasn't personal, though he was going to try and make it so with his use of psychological warfare.

He was also _very_ good at it. He knew the only thing I was mad at him about was how much he was trying to make the both of us move and how good he was at reading his opponents. The fact he knew I knew only made me angrier at him.

"Seems like I can do nothing but upset women, even my Lieutenant's, though they all come back eventually..." He looked serious, but he seemed to be staring off into the distance. He eventually recovered from his bout of whimsy and got a dumb look on his face. "I'm heartened that you didn't attack me through my trip down memory lane. Though I get the impression that bit of kindness was somehow self serving. You and your friends must be buying time for something or other."

"Chatty one aren't you?"

"Well of course I am! I've only got so long to spend with you after all, it'd be rude not to give you a nice time, your friend *is* coming back after all right?" That was definitely a smug smile.

I sighed at the realisation that he was just going to keep asking that until I answered despite him knowing the answer. It was a part of his strategy, he wanted to rile me up so I'd reveal what I could do and then counter with his own.

"Who knows?"

"Oh? Odd that you wouldn't know, you lot gotta be awfully close to be acting as you are with each other." I blocked his overhead before pulling back as his other sword went to pierce my hand. "But I would like an answer before this battle ends."

"I think I see why Mila wanted to change now, you were talking her to death where mine was boring me to death. Thankfully you'll both die." We settled into that pattern where he'd delay his second strike to go for my sword arm.

"Really? Jūshirō won't be pleased to hear that!" He was starting to put more strength behind his strikes. "Though I gotta admit, this whole situation is kinda odd, thought time was what you lot wanted."

"You weren't going to give us what we wanted." Whether I blocked by the barest margins or not it didn't matter, this crass ape was beginning to see my potential habits and tricks.

"Of course not. You folks are after our lives, or our way of life. We can't give you time, who knows what you'd do with it if you got it?" He said with a calm smile before immediately striking, his sudden burst of speed made me block on instinct which was the mistake, as his second sword came for my wrist after having slipped by my guard.

Normally I'd welcome the attack but I know I wouldn't be able to kill him on the counter, so I backed away before charging in again.

"So you've decided you want to see me angry? You do so enjoy upsetting women, your Zanpakutō has my pity."

"Well I don't wanna be the only one dancing." He tilted his head forward, shadowing his face entirely.

"That right there is how I know you're a dangerous opponent, you know what infuriates me. Even what gestures might get me angry." And now he knew how I guarded this was going to get dicey. In another flurry of slashes we accomplished nothing of real worth, merely the passage of time as Shunsui steadily goaded me on.

He had his moment when Komamura nailed Emilou.

"Well I'm not sure what to make of that, she tossed him in range of that attack even though she got herself hurt. Is she counting on you to rescue her? Because I'm afraid to say that's not happening anytime soon." He made his strikes slower and less powerful, was this supposed to trick me into helping her or infuriate me?

"At least we actually have someone to save, Emilou died doing what she loved, killing her fellow idiots."

He winced. "Harsh. Are you really just going to let her die? I thought you were all a lot closer than that, or are you really that secretive about your Resurrección?"

I stared at him, an evil plan coming to mind, I was thankful indeed that I was covering my face with a sleeve. "How uncouth, to rush a lady like that. You already know I don't like to be rushed."

He looked at Emilou's collapsed form and went to say something, which was when I struck. I was holding nothing back anymore, he could feel that I was using all my power, he could even feel how much I wanted to kill him. So he turned around on a dime to protect himself from my attack. I went for the back of his neck, only for him to barely turn and deflect the strike, his other sword going straight through my sword arm's elbow. I could feel the sword scrape against the bone but fail to penetrate it.

There was a glimmer of worry in his eyes, he had no idea what I was doing. He was probably close to releasing his Zanpakutō.

The moment after I thought that his second sword slashed my stomach open.

That wasn't what I wanted but it was fine. I'd rather he stab me but this will do. I wilted forward, my free hand falling towards his sword and he relaxed, no longer having to fend off Balas.

He did not expect to fend off my hand from his sword. As my hand fell towards his sword I slammed it through the blade, making sure no bones got in the way of his Zanpakutō and plunged my hand to the hilt.

Why?

I only needed one hand to release my Zanpakutō.

 **"Strangle To Death! Anaconda!"**

I spied the Head Captain looking over with wide eyes, but there was nothing he could do when facing down another Espada.

Typically when you release your Zanpakutō it's not a violent reaction, Emilou had the second most violent one amongst the Espada, but regardless of how violent it was being as close as possible to the opponent when you released was rookie stuff, you would always get an advantage off that. For me that was especially true. I had the most violent release of them all.

Pink Spirit Energy did not rise from me like it did from everyone else, it wasn't like a floodgate.

When I first displayed my Resurrección it was compared to the Captain of the Eleventh Squad, Kenpachi Zaraki due to a quirk he had. Whenever he seriously battled his Spirit Energy formed a roaring skull behind him. Mine was that of a giant pink serpent, but that wasn't the reason why it was so catastrophic. The serpent was entirely symbolic, a dramatic warning of an aspect of life.

Pink Spirit Energy exploded from me, blasting my skin off. Bursting apart in tiny, deadly shrapnel in every which way.

Every Arrancar had an attribute called Hiero, giving our skin a protective quality beyond the battle between two Spiritual Pressures. Hierro also meant Iron Skin.

My shed skin pierced his clothing and skin, getting stuck in his innards and even scratching the surface of his bones, but that wasn't the greatest effect. My body changed drastically, my release was the most animalistic of them all, for I had truly become a snake.

The only human part of me was my chest and head, thick scales covered my lower body, which had turned into a giant snakes tail, my Hierro was particularly potent there. Three pink dots were under both my eyes now and the Hollow Mask was restored to it's former state, it even had the beads back again, in fact one side of the mask had grew backwards, enough to reach my shoulder.

The greatest change was my lack of hands, in place of those were hissing nests of snakes in each of my sleeves. Where my hand once sat on his sword was multiple snakes coiling around his arm and weapon, biting and injecting as much venom as they possibly could into him. My other arm and its snakes going straight for his ugly face.

 **"Katen Kyōkotsu!"** His Zanpakutō became a pair of huge, black, heavily curved Chinesescimitars with silver edges.

I did confuse the red tassels on his swords for my own streaks of blood when he cut off my other arm. With one arm free he aimed to cut down the snakes biting into his arm with a sideways overhead, since he did it at such an awkward angle I could barely block the blade with my torso, but it wasn't good enough, he cut off enough snakes that he could free himself from my bondage. He didn't follow up on his attacks, simply deciding to hop away.

"How quick you are to run, afraid of how sudden my proposals are? Or do you not appreciate my bouquet of snakes?"

"Ohoh no, you don't get to act all cute after what you did to my handsome face. Besides..." He looked to my regenerated arms. "I'm not sure I want to entertain anymore of your danse macabre. That is the phrase right?"

"Might be, but you will be entertaining me as payment for my missing sleeve." I dangled my right arm.

"Yeah, I had wondered about your health, your high risk suicide tactics only made sense if you had high speed regeneration or some other trick, something you kind of gave away earlier on in the fight when you wouldn't move, that had me suspicious. Not to mind the latest strike, only a rookie or a truly distressed person would do something like that. I figured you to be overly emotional but I pegged you wrong."

I dropped down to my missing arm and rooted through the dead snakes and cloth to find my Zanpakutō. "There we are." The snakes coiled around my Zanpakutō, which had regained it's ludicrous size, the horse slayer shone brightly in my coiled grip. "I must say I'm dissapointed but not surprised your Spirit Energy was strong enough to stop my Mudar La Piel."

"You mean your weaponized Hierro? Yeah, shedding your body like that was a pretty dirty trick. And judging by the name it seems you can do that again?"

"You can't win me, I can't be beat. I won't hurt you unless you cheat."

He raised his eyebrows, probably somewhat annoyed I decided not to answer. "That's probably the most ominous statement I've ever heard."

"Good to know I've got Aizen beat in something." Something glinted in his eyes at my words, not that I noticed, too busy staring at his now ugly face. "Shame I made you ugly, though it's fitting, it makes me want to kill you to get such deformities out of my sight."

"Oh really?" I froze, an intense feeling of wrongness at hearing my own voice doubt me. But then a familiar Zanpakutō from my past came into sight as a barely discernable weight settled on my tail. "I'm not so sure you can talk about deformities."

"Hey Soifon!" Shunsui said with a radiant smile.

"You...I had thought it odd that I didn't fight you, what were you doing all this time?" I asked.

"Figuring out just how much a Resurrección empowers an Arrancar, so I was fighting that old man's Fraccion. Miss me?" She said with a sharp smile.

"Yes actually."

"Good." She sadistically crooned. "I bet you miss this too then?" She moved her Shikai around.

"The stinger that kills in two strikes to the same spot, Suzumebachi." I went to continue when someone interrupted me.

"Yeah! That's my Captain's Zanpakutō! Scared yet?! Hah! Of course you are! Aizen must have been so worried that he told you all about her, but that won't help any of you!" Someone out of sight said. It wasn't hard to infer who it could be.

"Is that your Lieutenant, Captain Soifon?"

"You bet I am! And you had better address her respectfully!"

"I see, I feel sorry for you Soifon, he must be quite the coward if he's like this. But let me remind you in case you didn't hear, you can't win me, I can't be beat, I won't hurt you unless you cheat."

"What nonsense-"

"Captain! Get away!" Trusting her Lieutenant's eyes she backflipped away from me.

"Gran Rey Cero."

I sighed. At least they didn't know what happened.

Gran Rey Cero was a forbidden technique that required our blood to cast a devastating, if unstable ball of energy. Where did I get the blood? When I went to pick up my Zanpakutō, I had the snakes let the blood pool on their teeth.

I turned to them and immediately bowled over in laughter.

"Oh my god! Why the hell is the Lieutenant of the Second Squad, the Stealth Force a fatass!" I clutched my stomach in unladylike peals of laughter, having forgotten whatever I was about to say before. "Oh my, you really got the short end of the stick hm Soifon?" Brief chuckles still escaped me as I spoke. "That Izuru Kira fellow would have been a much better fit for your Squad."

"Kyōraku! Go fight Baraggan immediately!" Soifon warned, but she was too late.

"How many times must I say it? You can't win me, I can't be beat, I won't hurt you unless you cheat." A gasp came from him as his left arm began to liquidate, making him abort his sneak attack from above.

"Damn! So you really can see through your snakes eyes!"

"Impressive that you figured it out so quickly Soifon, though you're not concerned about my new cocktail?"

"It's just delayed necrosis. One you can activate whenever you feel the need to."

"Perhaps, but you're at quite the disadvantage against me now, the only way you can handle me is through Kidō, something I doubt you can do, having been too busy dealing with a sea of ineptitude to brush up on it. There is simply no way your Zanpakutō can reach me through my binding, biting snakes. Surely you have guessed my new reach?"

Instead of addressing this she angrily turned to Shunsui. "What are you waiting for?!" She coarsely yelled.

"Sheesh, I should be taking a good long rest, but now you want me to-"

In the far off distance a young voice gruffly yelled at him to dodge, but that brat Tōshiro's warning came too late. All Shunsui's last second dodge did was destroy his kidney.

All of our eyes went wide as Mila Rose's Zanpakutō emerged from his back, the amazon herself following up on her thrown sword to take it back in a gory fashion by ripping it out his side, sending him towards the ground beneath us.

Perhaps he was overcome by the pain, but I was sure he wasn't dead.

Rose must have been eavesdropping on us in the middle of her own fight since she went to throw it at an angle that neither Soifon or her Lieutenant saw. The only one who picked up on it was Tōshiro, who could do nothing but yell as Harribel would have struck him down otherwise.

I purred in response to all the developments, Soifon's Lieutenant decided to scream and cower in place.

"It's quite nice seeing you blow your top at some incompetent laggards, it's pleasing to see someone with my voice be vindicated. But I'm afraid you'll be getting no help from him."

"Tch, not like I need him. But where the hell is Jūshirō?" Good question.

The two of us squinted to try find Captain Ukitake, when I didn't see anything I simply bit the bullet and used my Pesquisa. A snakes tongue flicking out to get me what I want.

Ukitake was fighting Coyote Starkk, who, with the absence of his opponent fired a Cero at Captain Komamura to cover for Emilou.

But Starkk's former opponent was making his way here.

I turned to face him, the Head Captain. Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

6737 words.

 **Well!** Who knew Bleach would continue! Good news everybody!

I'm vaguely curious about this witch thing, the western spiritual sphere, because from what little I know they aren't plagued by Hollows but by Dragons. It will be interesting to see a society fight a natural disaster beyond architecture and such.

But if Karen Strassman doesn't voice act her characters I'm going to riot. Along with a few others of course.

This chapter passed through a friends hands as a text file by the way, we talked a little about fanfiction over the night and he got quite curious about it. So I forwarded him this, letting him know he'd be quite confused due to a lack of context. Speaking about this story...

I have to say I am *grievously* upset over how I've handled Mila Rose. My lack of handling that is, I've done her quite a disservice to her on multiple fronts and I had only cottoned onto it when I was going to show an ability of hers.

Chekhov's Gun was it? Wish I heeded it beforehand. That's how powerful I think this ability is, now I can only hope it won't cause an upset. Hopefully I'm making a mountain out of a molehill.

I had a scene where Cyan was doubting herself and trying to confide in Mila only to fail by the way. In that scene she mentions Ichigo Kurosaki's impertinence and noting how much it helped him, because I do genuinely feel such an emotion is what let him save Rukia, Cyan would then go on to notice Ichigo doubting himself after striking Aizen.

I've finished watching Bleach by the way. I suppose I should talk about Aizen's claims about Ichigo's battles since it always feels like a hot topic. I don't find it to be a relevant topic however, I imagine Aizen would have disregarded Segunda Etapa and Ichigo's Vasto Lorde form as irrelevant, as trivia.

Though I do take minor exception to it, it shows the fights he seemingly arranges and Aizen's reactions to them, I don't believe he could see through Byakuya's Bankai, it's not Tōsen's but it's still an enclosed space isn't it? Nor was there a need to remark upon Ichigo Hollowfying against Byakuya when a half formed Mask was in the sewers, interestingly enough when Ichigo was talking to his dad he didn't want to ask questions as it then flashes back to Rukia chastising herself about how she asked Ichigo about the cause of his mothers death. Nice touch.

But yes, I believe him. He knows full well Ichigo will get stronger when he gets to actual Karakura, he literally says it.

I'm not sure how to rate my experience with the DVDS, a few of the disks were mixed around and some of the plastic was falling apart on some of the cases.

Anyway, reviewer time.

 **Aiden!** Believe me I'm trying Aiden, but absence really does make the heart grow fonder, and I could do with some of that right about now.

 **Dezcon!** Thank you for your time.

 **Antex!** Komamura stonks. Ikkaku...not so much. Maybe I should have had him do more damage...maybe not, the way I wrote this is probably close to how such an encounter would go, I don't envision Ikkaku beating Grimmjow, nevermind someone that's two ranks above him. I think I wrote the power levels correctly here when I think back to Hitsugaya versus Harribel, the moment she got serious he went into Bankai just to keep up and used a once per duel effect, his ice clone.

*Orchamus!* I'm glad my dialogue is good, I also hope I lived up the high speed feeling I was giving off, I'm not entirely sure I have, I'd say I have a small nugget of doubt that I did. Thank you for the heartening review!

 **Jackjsh!** Sorry for the long wait, I hope it appeased you.


	26. Twenty Sixth Stinger

I froze up in shock, too confused to really think or do much of anything. All I could do was watch the old man steadily walk towards me, his eyes closed the entire time.

His Zanpakutō was disguised once again as a gnarled old walking cane.

"I had thought to move to end you once I thought you were going to use this Quimera Parca your cohort bragged about. But you have just convinced me to cut out the middle man."

I was shook from my disbelief by his words. "Is that so? Forgive the remark but you are truly showing your age in more than just the white hairs, tis no wonder why Shunsui was so uncouth if he learned from you, to be so rude as to interrupt a private affair between two women. Why, even Shunsui would be upset that you're taking up Mila's attention."

"On the contrary, I beat such concepts out of him. Even now he is analyzing you lot despite his incapacitated state."

"Hmm...dialogue seems useless to you."

"Quite right, in this instance your forked tongue won't work here." He unsheathed his Zanpakutō, the walking cane unraveling to reveal its true form. "Let us get to work shall we?"

"You leave me no choice? You must be as impudent as the Substitute Soul Reaper and the traitor Captains, yes, such an accursed trait is what permitted you to build the Gotei Thirteen." I thrust my hand out to emphasize my sentence, but forgot my hand was a cluster of snakes right now, which made me look quite silly. "Mila! Handle him! I shall take care of her." I reassured.

"Huh?! You got some real cheek to-" I fired a Cero at that fat, greasy 'Lieutenant' to shut him up, sadly he somehow managed to dodge it.

"We'll handle you like we did your sad sack of a student." Mila boasted.

Soifon smirked and flashstepped right in front of me.

"Annoying." Her smirk got even wider at my remark.

Here's what was going to happen, this was clearly a feint, but when you're this fast even your feints could kill people, so I had to strike. So as I raised my Zanpakutō overhead to dispell her feint I was already reaching for my left, anticipating her second Flashstep.

Then she appeared to my right.

 _Ah. Well I'm never doing an overhead again._ I dropped my sword and brought my right arm back to fire a Cero and a cascade of Balas at her and brought my left arm forwards to grab my Zanpakutō, the snakes extending to catch and then coil around it.

She flashstepped in my face again, making me flip my sword up in attempt to stop her Suzumebachi from hitting me in the face. Suzumebachi was a stinger connected to a gauntlet on her wrist by a chain, and obviously I meant to go for that.

Sliding my sword's blade through the chain I took the opportunity to angle my sword to cut the top of her wrist and moved the snakes around my Zanpakutō to make a break for her arm while staying away from her Suzumebachi.

But her Zanpakutō was a trick. Her other hand had been gathering blue Spirit Energy.

"Hadō Seventy Three: Sōren Sōkatsui!" She made a pushing motion with both her palms.

I could feel my stomach give way, showering her in my blood as my Hierro parted under the force of her Kidō.

The snakes on my right arm nursed the bloody wound, bringing to bear another Gran Rey Cero, yet she slipped from the sword lock I had her in before. She dragged her hand up my blade, willingly cutting up the top of her own hand to get away from my attack, but it wouldn't be enough, my blade was too long and curved for her hand alone to get her out of this. So she went to kick me in the chest to leap off, and as I retaliated with my snakes she threw daggers at the snakes headed for her leg. Her damn Anken pierced their skulls via their soft mouths but I still wasn't going to let her go, I weakened my grip on my Zanpakutō to bring more snakes at her leg.

"Hadō Thirty Two! Ōkasen!" Those snakes perished, a remarkably narrow beam of yellow light having cut them apart. The beam was so narrow in fact that it wasn't even as wide as an arm, which meant I still had our weapons locked together for the moment, not that it mattered.

Her foot thumped against my chest and she used that momentum to escape the lock I had on her, dodging the Gran Rey Cero. "My fault for not giving my all in that encounter." I reluctantly muttered. "Yes...I have shamed myself here, I insulted your pride and didn't expect you to give it your all in turn when you were training for this. The stupidity of my friends is contagious it seems."

"Afraid you're going to lose?" From up above she looked down her nose at me with a bloodthirsty smile.

"Yes...of course I'm afraid of losing." I looked down. "There is nothing more in the world that I fear or despise more than losing, of failing her, of disgracing her with my sad display. That is why I kept my regeneration, to stay beautiful on the battlefield so that she wouldn't worry." I tilted my head up again, faintly surprised at my own honesty.

Soifon smirked. "Heh. Are you really that vain? Looks like you haven't grown at all over the years!" She sadistically crowed.

"Well it's in the nature of a snake to be vain isn't it? But will you truly make light of the truth?" I turned around and gazed at Harribel. Confident in turning my back to Soifon.

"For her huh?"

"Of course. I'll stand tall so that she won't have to worry, so she can relax. You get it don't you? You'll excuse me for being personal but I can't help but think we have a spiritual connection of some kind." I turned to her, relaxed and honest.

She looked stunned, eyes having flown wide and her body struck limp by the shock of my statement. "Are you for real? What possible connection could a Hollow and a Soul Reaper have! Are you even listening to yourself?!" Omeada was sputtering over by the side.

"Well we both have the same voice, animal themed armaments." My snakes turned and twisted for emphasis. "But most of all... _that_ kind of relationship. You understand what I have with Harribel don't you? Foolish Shinigami, you're not an officer of the Soul Society anymore, you're an officer of Her Majesty's now. All that you see is her property, make no mistake about that, your ignorant self included."

"I'd say that blood loss was getting to you if you wasn't healing! Your insolence and delusions know no bound!" She rocketed right towards me but I was prepared this time.

My right arm came to fore, each snake upon it lining up with a Cero in each of their mouths. She was shocked at my new technique but not afraid of it, simply flashstepped away from it. And I, in turn, had the snakes move before they fired.

I blasted her, her Lieutenant, the Head Captain, Her, I took aim at everyone and everything I could.

It was a potent technique, but it had it's downsides, the primary one being that the snakes were the only thing that could move. I couldn't so much as turn my head when I did this, and every snake had to fire in order for the technique to end. I also couldn't completely cover my back, my snakes unable to stretch out that much.

In other words it was a one time technique when my opponent was this fast. But I did consider it a technique worthy enough to hamstring her.

Sadly not a single thing was struck, the Captain Commander cut his in half and even Soifon's fat Lieutenant dodged it. I guess he was actually somewhat fast despite his rotound appearance.

I used Sonido to avoid Soifon's return Kidō spell, bringing me closer to Mila and Harribel. Soifon appeared at my right again, making me deflect her strike. The instant she disappeared from sight I let my sword go, letting it fly off my right where she just appeared, and when she flashstepped in front of me the snakes on my left bit down on my Zanpakutō's handle and brought my sword back into her side, where she let her gauntlet block the blow.

But before she could escape again I brought all my snakes forward, even loosening the grip on my sword to just two snakes to make the volley of Balas stronger.

She let loose a short scream of anger as my pink Balas smacked into her legs before she sped away from me. My attacks had burned through her legwear and bruised her, light burn marks also being present.

I smugly smiled and relaxed as she sized me up.

"Are you alright Captain?" Her Lieutenant stepped besides her and pointed his sword at me. Or held his sword out rather, he didn't have much spine.

"I can still fight, that's all that should matter."

Her Lieutenant ignored her frustration, glancing down at her legs instead. "Are you sure? The Head Captain is-"

"That's not how this is going to go down fat man." I ignored his upset rant. "She's going to continue fighting because she wants to or is obliged to. Unlike you she takes her life seriously which means she has pride to never run away. Her cause or her self is too grand to despoil or pervert, but now...she must use you." I chuckled at the thought of fighting him, he already looked afraid to get close to me. "That is why I targeted her legs. Did you think I didn't know how Hohō techniques worked?" I moved my large tail in front of me. "It's a technique that's all in the legs, how did you think our Sonido worked fat man? Now because her speed has been cut down somewhat she will need to use you in order to land a hit. Your sad attempts at subtlety shame your Captain."

He began to growl at me. I blinked, slightly shocked by this action.

After the shock came anger, enough to fire a Bala at his face and though he was unable to dodge his Captain punched him out the way.

"You should have let the uncourteous pig eat that." I continued. "If this is his standard behaviour then I imagine he even badmouths you, I'm a little shocked his jaw hasn't been turned to powder yet."

"Whatever I do with my subordinates is none of your business." She muttered, casting glances over to her Lieutenant.

"Are you stalling simply because I called you out? Just send him at me, maybe out of pity I'll let him distract me." I smiled, smug as can be after having stumped her.

"Alright." I blinked.

"Wha-?! Captain! You can't be serious!"

"We're uninterested in your excuses Lieutenant, this is the organisation you joined, your power came at the price that you would use it for a solemn duty, now do your job and die for something greater than you craven self." I interrupted.

I charged him at a breakneck pace, striking him upwards with my tail as I passed him by only to drag him back down by his ankle and unload into his bulging stomach with a storm of Balas, charging up a Cero right after as he was sent flying into the distance from my attacks.

He dodged the Cero again, and despite the heavy damage he still had it in him to rant and rave. "Hey! Ain't you...got no shame?!" He huffed out, a hand clutching his stomach. "You should at least be holding back a little! A full on Espada...against a mere Lieutenant." His volume had decreased significantly thanks to my efforts.

"Shame?" He whirled around, stunned and afraid to find out I got behind him in an instant with my Sonido. "You would call me shameful for fulfilling my duty, no matter what it cost? I thought you were Squad Two, or has Soifon been going easy on you? If I was her I would be cutting away the fat." I slowly swiped at him, amused at his desperate dodge and his constant backstepping as I slithered closer. "The reason Captains are so strong is because they embody the principles of their Division. Aizen was right to crush you all, for only thirteen people in the Soul Society take their lives seriously."

 **"Crush! Gegetsuburi!"** His Zanpakutō transformed from a sword to a flail, and his first move was to block with it, to save his hand from getting split in two. However...Gegetsuburi had already been severely damaged, a crack present where I had struck.

I smiled. It was a light glance! How on earth could it be breaking apart when I was toying with him? The instant I tried I would split it in two! Good for the both of us then that I was using my sword like a prop, I wanted, and needed to bat this buffon around for a while longer.

Me and Mila weren't dumb enough to think that we could handle all this, the Head Captain was going kill us or give Soifon the opportunity, so we were making our way back to Emilou, and most importantly Tier Harribel.

We were going to reunite with Apacci and stop holding back, though it's uncertain if our enemies would give us the chance to destroy them, so we would need Harribel to give us enough time to use our technique. Hence me beating this fool into that direction. Said fool now having realised blocking was a dumb idea and took to dodging backwards, right where me and Rose needed to go.

My sword brushed against his flail yet again, making him grimace as he dodged to the side, away from where I needed to go. "Bala." I used Sonido to get behind him and reared my tail back to smack him back in line.

"Sike!"

"Excuse me?"

He confused me up until he broke through my Bala with his Shikai, the weapon on course to hit the side of my head. "Looks like I fooled you! But I'm the Lieutenant of the Second Squad for a reason! I can react to all your moves and knew you were pushing me in a certain direction! How does it feel?!"

 _Thunk._

His flail hit me in the head.

"Cool story bro." I grabbed him with my tail instead, a worthy task considering his weight. "I bet you felt vindicated that your appearance fooled me into thinking you were slow in every regard up until you ruined it by thinking you had a chance. It seems you had completely forgotten about my overwhelming Spirit Energy and Hierro." I held a snake up to his face. "You said you knew where I was pushing you and pulled us over here instead?" His eyes widened as the snakes bared their fangs and prepared to take a bite out of him. "Don't inconvenience us ever again."

"Captain!" He screamed in pain as they tore into his nose and stomach, ripping through his uniform and taking out tiny chunks of meat.

I smiled yet again, radiant in both beauty and confidence. "She's been trying to slip past my snakes eyesight to no avail, cute little after-images of her smug face decorate the roads and rooftops, but I can see through her tricks." A cloud above me seemed odd for but a brief instant, I put it out of my mind. "She won't be coming to-" The cloud looked odd once again. In fact, a part of it seemed to be getting closer. "Wha- _AAAArrghh..."_

My screams of pain were cut off thanks to my blood leaving through my mouth, alongside my arm and the entire tail.

Lacking a lower half and an arm I fell to the ground, my grip on the fat fool slipping, but as he tried to wriggle out he screamed again in pain and tried to beat my snakes off him, something impossible to do with a flail. He turned his Zanpakutō back into a sword rather than a flail, a strategy that I didn't see coming, what we both didn't see coming was that he still couldn't save himself thanks to his lackluster Spirit Energy and my Hierro.

But how? How did she cause this pain? This unimaginable pain.

As far as I understood Kidō there were a few things that mattered, the caster, the number, and the incantation. The difference between Hadō number one and ninety nine was like that of an Arrancar against an Espada, but she was too far away to hear the name of her technique.

But the jump in numbers here couldn't have been so great, she wasn't the Captain of the Kidō Corps or whatever, so she must have strengthened her spell with a full incantation...

D-did she? Damn her and her Kidō!When did she even get the time to cast?! I had seen her try to slip through my line of sight, something she managed to do, somehow, but when on earth did she get the time to cast a full incantation?

Her and her damn afterimages! From the road to above the clouds this quickly? It was damn inconceivable is what it was! My only relief was that such a thing must have cost her.

Lacking a lower half and an arm I fell to the ground, my grip on the fat fool slipping, but as he tried to wriggle out he screamed again in pain and tried to beat my snakes off him, something impossible to do with a flail. He turned his Zanpakutō back into a sword rather than a flail, a strategy that I didn't see coming, what we both didn't see coming was that he still couldn't save himself thanks to his lackluster Spirit Energy and my Hierro.

The most infuriating thing about all this was that he was relatively fine except for some burn marks.

I looked above in disbelief, but there she was, her Kidō having destroyed the cloud she used for cover. She really had left afterimages on the ground and got above us to fire her Kidō, she was so far above us that I could barely make her out, but I imagined her to be panting so I could feel slightly less bad about myself.

I bit down onto the back of his neck and dragged him towards a storehouse, thankfully she chased us immediately, barely giving me the chance to recover from my injuries. I broke through the roof with a Bala, destroying the ground and sending asphalt up into the air, I quickly dragged myself and my hostage through the hole and into the darkness.

"Get out here you little snake!"

"Come in, Soifon." I rasped. "I'm not going to strike you the moment you come in." She waited a few moments before dropping in through the hole.

"Marechiyo!"

"Ah, so that's his name, I've gagged him. I have stuffed my snakes in his fat mouth and have them poised to rip his tongue and throat out. But you don't need to worry about a thing Soifon."

"Worried?" She smirked and visibly relaxed. "Against a fool like you I have nothing to fear, your dumbass friends are more threatening."

"It's no use baiting me into attacking wannabe Shihouin." I was amused to no end to hear her stutter at that. "Now tell me how you did this." I dragged myself into the light, a snake detaching from his throat to bite into the floor and drag me forth, showing her all my hideous wounds.

"Confused?" She smirked.

"You may keep being smug, I shall keep regenerating."

"What happened was that I decided to wait for Marechiyo to get bitten." We both ignored his confused murmur. "I noticed another thing about you, your eyes couldn't actually track me mid-motion, but their tongues could." I hissed, agitated that she had noticed. "If you were constantly using Pesquisa then I couldn't really strike unless you let your guard down again, so I had to wait until they were occupied."

"I see...and the Kidō that tore me asunder? Tell me, you must be desperate to rub your Kidō in my face after I insulted it."

"Shunkō."

"...What?"

"A custom technique of mine made by combining Hakuda and Kidō."

"You punched me with Kidō?"

She smirked. "Not how I was going to put it but yeah, I did. I guess I'm lucky, or unlucky that my incompetent Lieutenant also lived, I kinda had to eyeball it there since getting more accurate would mean getting spotted by those snake eyes."

"Damn...at any other time we would have destroyed the Soul Society by now, but as it stands you all must be the finest Captains this pitiful place ever had. Even now you try to inspire your Lieutenant to improve, oh do wipe that dumb look of your face." She looked shocked. "Do you think you fooled me into thinking you could miss with your own technique? What nonsense." My arm regenerated, pulling me away from my tangent. "But enough of that...my fellow snake...join us." I whispered to her.

Her eyes went wide in shock at my absurd offer. "What?!"

"Wuhgh?!" Her stupid Lieutenant tried to shout.

"Please do keep your voice down but your disbelief suspended yes? It took a bit of work, but a lot of blood to get you over here so I can spring the deal, one I think you're listening to. Look at your Lieutenant, the definition of mediocre, he just screams unseated officer, and the Twelfth Division couldn't even track Ichigo when he was in the Soul Society. They literally just blundered into Captains until they were beaten, but until then the Soul Society was being pantsed. Except for that Quincy boy, Mayuri tracked that one down, and yet he didn't tell anyone else where the rest of the invaders were? How suspicious, self-serving and treacherous, we will be a better organization, no pathetic judges to hinder us. Kaname was quite happy to tell us how the Central Fourty Six made him into a traitor."

She looked frustrated and stunned. "I really don't care for an ideological chat right now. But as for how we handled that invasion only Squad Twelve screwed up, thanks for bringing that to our attention, but even the Divisions ran by the traitors were doing things by the book, I know because Squad Two and the Stealth Force handle rogue Soul Reapers. The other Divisions are actually the ones charged with defending the Soul Society."

"So you'll remain with the ones who exiled your master, Yoruichi Shihouin?"

Her stunned disbelief at my ideological dialogue turned to angry shouting. "Of course it's inept! I know it could be better but I can't hold everyone's hand! Me and Lady Yoruichi can't waste our time teaching the incompetent how to breathe, kids like Ikkaku die because they don't take their lives seriously, you should know you can't beat sense into those sorts, now stop stalling!" She eyed my regrowing tail angrily.

"I see...well my offer will always be open, especially since I doubt your current employers will be around for much longer. But here is a deal you can't refuse."

She looked fed up, I doubted that she'd hear me out anymore so I threw away her Lieutenant to rouse her interest once more.

I collapsed to the floor as my tail was still regenerating. She looked down at me, unsure of what to make of me, but she seemed more willing to talk now.

"That so?"

"Help us destroy the antagonist...help us shoot down Aizen Sōsuke and the traitor Captains."

"What?! Aren't you?-"

"Me, Mila, Appaci, Her Majesty Harribel...even Baraggan is in on it. And in the wake of our betrayal Starkk shall join us too, desperate to have someone to talk too." I shook my head just thinking about him. "But his inclusion won't matter at that point."

She squinted at me. "How do you even intend to do this? You're not in a position to do so, and I know you're not strong enough to beat Aizen if I'm beating you."

"Me and Mila must recoup with Apacci. That's all we need to do, but it's a hard task with so many despicable fools harassing us."

Now she glared. "Uh huh, and I can just trust that such a powerful technique won't be aimed at us."

I chuckled and shook my head. "At the start, but after that? You'll have another disaster to contend with."

"Then you had best come up with another plan. We aren't in the mood for that sort of fallout."

I sighed and got back up, my tail having finally regenerated. "Truthfully I had expected better of you than this, a half hearted effort will only get us killed. We will need this art in order to win."

She scoffed. "Pretty arrogant to call a technique an art, but I guess it fits you." She shut up and seemed to consider my words for a moment, before shaking her head. "I'm not fond of unreliable techniques like whatever you're proposing, as a matter of fact it's absurd that you could have something like that."

"Well, we will be betraying him soon, and that old fogey is getting in our way, this plot can only be done when they are all in one place and there's only so long before the Head Captain's seal is broken." She groaned, trying to make sense and come to terms with what I was proposing, still paranoid of my offer.

Tough. I wasn't going to make things comfortable for her at my expense.

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

"God damn you! You're pissing me off almost as much as that bald bastard!" I shouted.

"His name is Ikkaku Madarame, and it would behove you to pay some respect to the departed."

"Who the hell are you to lecture me?!" I glanced out the corner of my eye to Sung-Sun and Mila and wondered how the hell they could be screwing up this badly. I needed to get this bastard out my way to rejoin them and do the thing, because those dumb cunts were losing their battles, _somehow._ I threw my head back and deflected the giant Bankai's sword with my antlers. "Fuck off!" I aimed the other row of antlers at him and went to fire a bunch of Ceros at him when he flashstepped into my side and stabbed me in my sides.

What the hell?! This bastard could move independently of his big ass Bankai?!

 _"Hmm...an entertaining Bankai I suppose."_

We both turned towards the deep echoing voice and saw a skeleton in purple robes wearing a crown.

"Baraggan." I gritted out.

 _"Emilou Apacci, what a pitiful state your in. You are an idiot and a disgrace, step aside and let me show you how it's done."_

"No way you loser! I'm about to break this fools jaw! Piss off and find your own battle!"

 _"Hmph, mouthy one aren't you, and for your information I cannot find an enemy to battle, my last opponent having run off to put your fellow in the ground."_

"Excuse me for interrupting your conversation, but I couldn't help but notice that not once did you suffer an injury, so might I ask why you released your Zanpakutō?" Komamura asked.

 _"Because there were never going to be any wounds upon my august self. Let me show you."_ Baraggan held out a bony hand, materialising a giant double headed axe adorned with four gold chains.

Komamura heaved a sigh and retreated to his giant Bankai and took aim at him.

Baraggan was kinda pissing me off doing all this, but it was an easy path back to Harribel. "Ugh, don't think you'll get away showing me up like this you old ass! I'll be back assuming this mutt doesn't kill you!"

The two of them huffed as she sped off into the distance. _"_ _You didn't see the glory of my release did you? I feel sorry for you then, but you will experience the glory of my majesty."_

"No words to spare for your fallen Fraccion?" A dark chuckle was his only response.

Enraged he was about to swing at him.

"Bushōgoma." Only to be stopped by Captain Shunsui making a surprise reappearance. Arcs of wind impacted Baraggan to seemingly no effect, but Shunsui seemed okay with that. "Phew, close one there eh Komamura? If I let you hit him it'd be all over for you."

"Eh?"

"Oh, so you really didn't see? Well don't sweat it, but frankly, from what I've seen from him leads to believe there are very few here who can beat this guy."

Confused and concerned Komamura beseeched him for an explanation.

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

Byakuya exhaled softly, unwilling to let the humans beside him see his relief.

Rukia was alright, she was going to be okay.

By reminding himself of things like this he was able to fight at his best, it was pointless to fixate upon your worries. But...Renji was missing.

Not only was his Lieutenant missing but so was the last Quincy, he knew where they last went missing and gone to investigate only to find nothing. It greatly irked him that he might have to rely on Mayuri to help find them, he may have to threaten him to even get him to help. Then again he just might cut him down so he wouldn't have to put up with that insufferable and smarmy attitude of his.

He took a deep breath to calm himself before making his displeasure known. "I cannot believe you were picked for this mission, your lack of qualities have never shone more than they have now."

"Shut up!" The brute growled. "I'm not in the business of chasing down cowards."

"Are you telling me the so called 'Captain' of the Eleventh Division is having trouble killing a coward? You're obsolete."

"Man, I'm amazed these guys can keep going at it, aren't you Orihime?" Tatsuki asked. Orihime just nervously laughed. It was understandable.

This "Pale Rider" had absconded with Ichigo Kurosaki. This was not initially a cause for concern, even if this Ulquiorra Cifer was the fourth Espada.

But then his power spiked drastically, and twice, at that.

Bankai. For Arrancar. How absurd. As sad as it was the Quincy and the Lieutenant would have to wait for a rescue, Ichigo needed it more.

Ichigo and this barbarian both had trouble with the Espada around that rank, the barbarians wounds being questionable. He seemed to possess some disgusting sadomasochistic tendancy in his thrill of the fight. Truly, the Eleventh Division was a blight upon the Soul Society.

He breathed out quietly again, basking in the fact his sister was okay. Rukia was fine. But...she wouldn't be if Ichigo perished in his fight against the Pale Rider, she would be hurt and would then commiserate with her _human_ friends. It was good that she had them he supposed, but humans and Soul Reapers were not meant to interact, much less become friends. Some things are improper because of history, or culture, and although he was concerned about her choice in friends he had lost the right to complain.

After all, these ruffians were the only reason Rukia was alive.

"We're here." They had finally finished ascending through the sky and now stood upon the roof of Las Noches.

It's dark and gritty nature was not helped by the sight before them. The sun of Las Noches gave way to the moon of Hueco Mundo, which cast a light upon a harrowing scene.

Standing upon one of the few pillars here were Ichigo and Ulquiorra, his opponent having clearly beaten Ichigo. Ulquiorra looked like a bipedal bat now, replete with two pitch black wings and a tail, an improvement over Zommari if you ignored the fact he was strangling Ichigo with his tail. His Soul Reaper uniform was blasted off him, showing his battered torso for the world to see, something his friends didn't appreciate.

"Ichigo! Ichigo no!" Orihime screamed. He held her back by her unsightly collar.

"Wonderful." The dark monster spoke, placing a finger onto Ichigo's chest, probably upon his heart. "Witness the end of your protector and understand Aizen's glory."

"Byakurai." He casted Hadō to sever the Pale Rider's tail but one of it's wings batted it away. The barbarian moved forward to strike the Espada down, but he was too slow to cover the distance. "Hadō Sixty Three. Raikōhō." The wing brushed his Kidō away, a Kidō approximately fifty levels higher than a mere Byakurai. He immediately drew his sword and released it, but it was too late. A dark green Cero burst through Ichigo's chest, his body falling from the pillar as the monster let him go.

The sound of his failure almost deafened him to Orihime and Tatsuki's screams, almost, since he could almost hear Rukia screaming alongside them.

Their foe was a fierce one, it's speed was truly ridiculous. In fact it's speed probably surpassed Soifon's, there was no doubt that this must be an Arrancars version of Bankai if that was truly the case. It was certainly faster than the both of them, such a fight required all his attention.

He was so engrossed that he didn't see whatever absurd actions were taking place besides him, but the results were the same. An absurd Spiritual Presence emerged from Ichigo's cadaver. But it could not possibly be him. All the fighters turned to look at him and didn't see a human.

They saw a Hollow.

They saw a white horned devil rise up and pick up Ichigo's Bankai, the pitch black sword flying into the creatures hand.

This Vasto Lorde that arose from Ichigo's corpse possessed his tattered Soul Reaper uniform and chalk white skin along with long orange hair that reached down to his waist, and a Hollow hole decorated with markings stretching from the hole across his chest and shoulders.

 _This is it. Ichigo will not reach up to tear his mask off, for he has fully become a Hollow now, the hole in his chest symbolising what he has failed to protect. So great are this specters feelings that he has nigh instantly turned into a Hollow, this phenomenon must be unique to Substitute Soul Reapers. For his grace and his associates feelings...I must put him down._

Byakuya prepared to strike only to see the stunned nature of all combatants. The newfound Vasto Lorde considered all of them to be enemies, but was unsure of who to strike at first.

"Ichigo." Zaraki breathed out, visibly excited beyond measure. "Aha! Ahahahahaha! I don't know if this is your work or the woman's that brought you back to life, but this is the greatest day of my life!" The barbarian brought his sword up without hesitation, his spiked hair weighed down by his own blood. "I was real upset that this slippery weasel took away my greatest fighting buddy! But then you come and come back from the dead!" Zaraki's curiosity broke through his overwhelming bloodlust for a moment as he tilted his head. "Can ya teach me how to do that? I'd give anything if it means having all the fights."

All he received in return was a low growl strong enough to shake ones bones. All that seemed to be stopping Ichigo's ghost from attacking was the Espadas threatening posture. "How? I do not comprehend." His green eyes were wide open as he examined the Vasto Lorde. "This does not-" His green eyes got even wider as something appeared in his Hollow Hole. It was a small cube. "This is Cyan Sung-Suns...what is she playing at? Was her Caja Negación a trap for me? No...that's not it, that wouldn't make sense. So then, what is-" He softly gasped. "No, she couldn't have possibly seen this set of events coming, and yet her Caja Negación was modified to trigger when it's holder met an opponent that could threaten them?" At that moment light emerged from him, only for the light to double back to the Espada. "What games are you playing at woman? You will answer for this."

The light enveloped him completely before vanishing, revealing nothing. Ulquiorra was no longer present.

It was just him and the Eleventh Captain against Ichigo now.

Yet again the creature let out a deep growl, this time it was accommodated by a red Cero forming between it's two horns.

The fight had begun.

 **Strangle To Death! Anaconda!**

Last chapter was uploaded on the 4-17, this was uploaded on the 5-03

I got motivated to finish editing this chapter after reading Fanfiction written by a simp. Soifon originally fired Hadō Seventy Eight: Zangerin instead of Shunkō by the way. But yeah, biggest surprise is what I've done to Ulquiorra huh?

Hope I called it a Caja Negación in the chapter I gave it to him.

Review time!

 **Darkimortal!** You are the only person in your entire country to accuse the Soul Society of being smart. Congratulations on being wrong.

 **Liamrudhonsen!** Thank you, I disagree that you think the adoration for Tier was unearned, but I thank you for your kind words.

 **Duckie288!** Man, my unintentional cliffhanger was pretty good huh? Well I hope you enjoyed the fight with Soifon and the bout of sadism with her Lieutenant. Gonna be honest though bro, Yamamoto doesn't flex much in the anime does he?

 **Plums!** Understandable, but such a thing was always in their cards.

 **Antex!** Thank you kindly, but no butts get moved easily. I've always regarded this roster of Captains as the greatest it's ever had, so it's an uphill battle despite their lack of a Hierro. But no worries, the Espada have two very powerful heavy hitters available to them. One being Baraggan.

 **006Sam!** I knew it'd appease you! Though the more I think of it Ikkaku is probably almost always going to die in my stories, which is odd because I like him. His habit of holding back is also quite helpful in the next arc of Bleach, at least I assume so. But yeah, picture six snakes attached to each of her shoulders.

 **Jackejsh!** I hope this speed is enough for you, frankly I'm dissapointed by my own pace a little. I'm not sure I'd be okay if a fic uploaded a chapter a week. But that's enough about me. The worst thing I could do is let you down rather than upload slowly.

 **Strangle To Death, Anaconda!**

"Please miss Soifon! You must get over your bitterness!"

She stared blankly at him. Her eyes were probably welling up with tears in sheer despair.

 _Why?_ She asked. _Why am I surrounded by fat guys and slow idiots?_

This green fatass, Hachigen, or something like that was really getting on her nerves. All those fat folds, that obscene bulging belly and that dumb tacky tasteless green ensemble. She had no interest in fashion but even she would never be caught dead in that. How the hell can I got over the fact that every guy I know is a dumbass except for Captain Ukitake?

That blonde Lieutenant Izuru kept flagellating himself for every enemy killed, he wasn't even killing people! He's not a Quincy, he doesn't destroy souls!

And that Shuhei, he had seemed promising in his fight against Findorr, but he hates how his Zanpakutō looks? What a first world problem! Hers literally was just a stinger! On _one_ finger!

"It looks like it was made for reaping souls" Her little ass! What did that idiot think a Zanpakutō _was?!_

And then...

She turned her head to behold her fatass Lieutenant. If it wasn't for that dumb green thing this new guy was wearing she wouldn't be able to tell them apart. Well...that's not true, her Lieutenant had a pretty dumb "haircut." But seriously, who was this new guy? He couldn't be a _Captain_ could he?

She wanted to vomit for just thinking about that. Surely not. The Gotei must have _some_ standards.

She looked back to her Lieutenant, every excess pound of fat she saw filling her with dread.

Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea joining Cyan after all. But then again, Shuhei and Izuru were both Shinigami under the traitors Tōsen and Gin, so maybe that was why they were so dumb, their education was crippled?

Was that why they were so afraid of themselves? Ugh, maybe she could get Shuhei in the Second Squad and beat the idiot out of him. Izuru was probably too much of a loser to handle the duties of a Stealth Force member however. Seriously...feeling down about killing someone who tried to kill you? What an idiot.

It was really feeling like the Second Squad was the only thing holding this place together it seems.


End file.
